The Top 10 Job Tips for the Class of 2010

It’s always hard to land that first job but this is a particularly tough job market to be graduating into, with 15 million people standing in the unemployment line ahead of graduates from the Class of 2010.

Thomas Barwick | Digital Vision | Getty Images

So, how do you stand out in a line longer than the tryouts for next season’s “American Idol”?

“Answering a few Craigslist openings a week does not constitute a job search!” said Karen McGee, director of student-support services at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications, who says there’s a direct correlation between the amount of time you spend on your job search and the time it takes to find a job.

So, we turned to the pros for some advice. Here are the 10 Best Job Tips for the Class of 2010.

1) Flash Your Credentials.

If you have an MBA or another degree that sets you apart, put it in every email and cover letter — not just as a line on your resume.

“You’ve got 15 seconds to get an employer’s attention,” says Robin Ryan, author of “60 Seconds and You’re Hired.” “Your degree is an impressive credential, so be sure to have it displayed next to your name,” she explains.

So, make it “Alex Keaton, MBA,” not just “Alex Keaton.”

Click here to take Robin Ryan’s resume assessment quiz.

2) Establish Your Brand.

Whether you realize it or not, from your first subject line, every bit of correspondence with a future employer is an advertisement for you. Do you know what your brand is? What message you’re sending?

Take some time to work on your “campaign” — how you’re pitching yourself, what your strengths are and how your past experience and skills make you perfect for the position for which you’re applying.

Write up a short set of bullet points with key verbs and messages that you want to convey — and use that same language across the board from your resume to your cover letter and in the interview.

Use one of the mantras of advertising: Driving a few points home multiple times is more effective at getting your message across than dumping the whole load on the table and asking the hiring manager to figure it out.

By the same token, don’t just dump your bullets on the table.

“A successful candidate is a good storyteller — and that starts with the resume,” said Stevie Toepke, director of recruiting for Harris Williams, a subsidiary of PNC Financial, which is one of the largest M&A-advisory firms in the country. “Your resume shouldn’t just tell me where you’ve been and where you’ve graduated from — it should tell me where you are, who you are and what you’ve accomplished.”

3) Network. Network. Network.

Networking, it’s no secret, is one of the best ways to get a job.

“For me, college wasn’t about the learning process but more about meeting great people I could connect with later in life,” said Jason Sadler, who started a company called “I Wear Your Shirt,” where companies pay him to wear their t-shirts — and then promote the company on social media. “Use the relationships you’ve built .. you never know who’s going to know who.”

So, work every college alumni or friend-of-a-friend angle to get yourself a no-pressure “informational interview” to speak with someone at the company, which will do two things: 1) Help you learn more about the company and how to get a job there and 2) Put you on the company’s radar.

“There are businesses out there (mine included) who don’t have time to do job searches,” explains Jeremy Redleaf, a filmmaker and creator of the site OddJobNation.com. “But, if they were presented with a great candidate right in front of their noses, they might just create a position on the spot!”

And, you want to get on it sooner rather than later. If you just graduated from college, start this summer.

“That way, you’re on a hiring manager’s or recruiter’s radar before the official fall-recruiting season begins,” Toepke explains. “The rush for good talent starts earlier and earlier each year, so it pays to be ahead of the curve!”

But, she cautions, you have to be cool about networking.  If you come across a directory for a company you want to work for, don’t spam the whole company. Keep your networking focused and personable. Otherwise, you just come across as a lazy jerk.

4) Do Your Homework.

One of the biggest mistakes graduates make is talking too much about why they want the job, not why the job should want them.

So, do your homework. Google everything you can about the company and the person you’ll be interviewing with. Call or email someone who knows someone who works there.

Come up with a set of bullet points about what you like about the company, what your suggestions are for the company and how you see yourself fitting in there.

Dave & Les Jacobs | Getty Images

In your research, you might even find you have something in common with the interviewer — you graduated from the same school, grew up in the same town, etc.,  — that could be a conversational point to help them connect with and remember you. Plus, it shows you really did your homework — a skill companies value.

That’s what sets you apart from other candidates, McGee said.

“Without it, you’re just another person looking for a job — any job,” she said.

And don’t just research the company, make sure you research your industry as well. Vault.com and Indeed.com are great resources for industry statistics — everything from salaries to trends.

If you’re looking for a job on Wall Street, WallStreetOasis.com offers a fast read on the latest news affecting the industry.

Plugging in to what’s going on in your industry will not only increase your chances of getting the job — it will help you stay more relaxed and avoid any curveball questions that might’ve left you tongue-tied!