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"For college graduates, the reality of finding a job has never been more imminent.\nThere's a bright side for this generation's grads: The number of smart digital tools and technology resources at your fingertips is increasing by the day. Check out these digital tactics that can help secure introductions, interviews and the highly sought-after offer.\n1. Unlock the \u201Ckey\u201D to LinkedIn\nThere\u2019s no question that you need to have a LinkedIn profile these days. What you might not know is that using keywords is a critical technique for leveraging your LinkedIn profile: Recruiters searching for candidates hone in on specific keywords that correlate with a job description. So make sure that your profile highlights the terms being used by your would-be employers.\nTo accomplish this, look closely at the job descriptions you are responding to and considering, and then make sure your profile (as well as your resume) aligns with the keywords found in that job description. For example, if the positions you\u2019re applying to call for a \"Social Media Community Manager\" and you're listing your previous experience as \"Twitter Ninja,\" then you may be missing a tremendous opportunity to align your credentials directly with the description.\n2. Drill down to niche job boards\nCompanies create niche job boards to narrow a talent pool down to a dedicated, unique and engaged audience, which makes them excellent places for a job seeker to start their search. For instance, Dice and Mashable\u2019s Job Board are great sites for those with tech talent seeking to connect with potential employers.\nAsk around within your network, do research online and scour the publications that pertain to your industry to locate the niche job boards (and even LinkedIn groups)\u00A0that might prove lucrative for your desired career path.\n3. Convert your smartphone into a career center\nThere are dozens of apps for the job seeker \u2014 focused on everything from finding jobs to building a resume. If you're unsure about which of these are the real deal and which are a waste of time, here are a few standouts.\n\nJobAware: This free tool combines resources, job searches, progress tracking and city comparisons.\nResume Builder Pro: An app that helps you easily update your resume to reflect your most current information and experience.\nInterview Questions Pro: In familiar flashcard format, this app provides a helpful resource for interview prep and practice.\nSuperJobSearch: This tool offers everything from job listings by region or profession to search advice.\niPQ Career Planner: An app for \u201Cjob matchmaking\u201D that helps candidates identify the types of jobs they're best suited for.\nLunchMeet: A unique networking app to help you meet up with other professionals for lunch.\n\n4. Own social media; don\u2019t let it own you\nThe toga party pics probably need to come down \u2014 or at least be placed into a private album where potential employers won't have easy access to them. But beyond tidying up, social media is an excellent tool to showcase your personality and career achievements. Here are a couple tips for using it to your advantage.\n\nPut your best face forward (literally): Make sure your social profile pictures are professional and convey the \u201Cpersonal brand\u201D you want to present to employers.\nBe consistent: Does your resume say you are currently interning at an ad firm, but your LinkedIn page says you\u2019re working in a restaurant? The discrepancy might raise red flags for recruiters and hiring managers. Make sure your information across social networks is up-to-date and aligned with your resume.\n\n5. Prep for a one-way interview\nVideo interviews are becoming increasingly common thanks to the time and money savings they offer. Beyond two-way interviews, many companies are using one-way interviews for pre-screening. (Think of this as a hybrid format that falls between phone screens and face-to-face meetings.) To nail your interview, try these tricks.\n\n\nDebug! Do a run-through on Skype with friends and family. The more comfortable you are with the format and technology, the more likely you are to make a good impression.\nThe most common technical mistakes candidates make are not sitting close enough to the screen and not centering themselves. Again, practice makes perfect.\nMake sure the light is in front of you, not behind you.\nBeyond looking professional yourself, dress your surroundings, too. You may look great in your new tie, but that Kanye poster in the background should be out of sight during your video interview.\n\nMaking use of these digital tactics can help give you a leg up when it comes to securing a new job, but remember; the job search process can often take some time. Patience and persistence are likely to be rewarded.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nMashable Job Board Listings\nThe Mashable Job Board connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career opportunities in the digital space. While we publish a wide range of job listings, we have selected a few job opportunities from the past several weeks to help get you started. Happy hunting!\n\nNational Sales Account Executive at the Onion in Chicago, Illinois\nProduct Specialist at Agora Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland\nExpert Coordinator at National Center for Learning Disabilities in New York, New York\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/05/11/new-grad-hiring-tips/>