Many new graduates stress about finding a position that will let them begin work as soon as possible after graduation. You can't begin work until you meet certain requirements and you will need documents from your university in order to meet these requirements, namely your transcripts (or a letter of completion in some states), and your Praxis scores in some states. Planning your job search with these requirements in mind will help you know when to begin preparing for your job search and when to actually start applying for available positions.

Resume

4 months in advance: Complete your resume at least 4 months in advance and even earlier if you plan to interview and accept a position prior to graduation.  Expect to need a few variations of your resume to reflect the setting you are applying for.

References

Ongoing: You will want to request references as you complete each externship and compile a reference list separate from your resume. Keep it current and stay in touch with your references as you complete your final year; you will want to keep them informed of your career plans.

Cover Letter

4 months in advance: Like your resume, complete variations of your cover letter that reflect the setting(s)/organizations you are applying to. A strong cover letter is often as important as a strong resume.

Job Postings and Want Ads

You can begin looking for positions at any time, but be aware that you may not be considered for a position simply because you are applying too early for them to consider you based on when they need to fill the position and when you will be available. There are however companies that hire early prior to or to graduation so try not to get discouraged.

Job Search Timeline

Two months in advance: The general rule for beginning your job search is to begin applying within 8 weeks of when you hope to begin work. This is true for medical settings, but not necessarily true for school settings. Schools generally begin interviewing around Spring Break through July. They stop interviewing when their positions are filled. Contract staffing companies interview year-round.

Companies generally expect you to be able to begin work within 30 days of when you accept a position. Schools expect you to be present for training and fully certified by the first day that students return to school after break.

If you plan to apply for a position at one of the locations at which you completed an externship, let them know about your interest if they bring it up or towards the end of your time there. You will usually need to have a resume that is complete through the current externship and list the remaining clinical sites to give to HR even when the Department has requested that you apply with them. 

If this is not the case for you, you can begin applying for positions as soon as you have completed your clinical training(s) in the clinical setting in which you hope to become employed and no later than when you enter the eight-week job search window if you are applying for positions in medical settings. If you are primarily interested in a school position and have completed your clinical training for that setting, you can begin applying for positions any time after March 1st for most schools. 

Customize your job search plan based on any individual commitments such as vacations, weddings, and other events that might interfere with your job search or make you unavailable for interviews. 

Pre-Employment Training and New Employee Orientation

Many employers offer pre-employment training or mandatory new employee training only one to four times per year and your start date may be based on the next available training dates. Some employers time interviews to correspond to these onboarding dates and have hiring cycles at specific times throughout the year. 

License or Certification

Licensure or certification can take from 2 weeks to 3 months from when everything is received and corrected in the credentialing authority's office. We will be giving you more information about licensure and certification in a later article.

Backup Plan

Every job search plan needs to include a date when you will consider implementing your backup plan. This might include considering a larger or different geographic area, a different clinical setting, or a temporary or travel job option. By making this part of your plan, you will not be rushed into making a decision and can be confident that the choices you make are the best ones for you based on the opportunities available.