What do I need to do to start applying for jobs? Grow the top of the funnel
At this point, you have defined your brand via identification of your passions, values, interests, and strengths, you have begun to focus your career path and how your unique value proposition is relevant, and you are on your way to becoming a skilled interviewee.
For many people existing connections within your personal networks will be enough to land a solid summer internship or full-time offer (assuming, of course, that you are actively leveraging these connections). But for others, promoting your brand through the application process will be critical to your success.
It takes a considerable number of applications to yield a handful of interviews—and of those interviews, significant preparation is required to convert these to offers. There are key factors to consider when you are applying for roles:
Handshake
If you're a University of Iowa student, Handshake lets you apply for open positions, find opportunities to network, and research companies.
Career status
Advancer
[Prior experience aligned with current functional career interest]
Changer
[Transitioning from one function to another]
Straight-through
[No pre-master’s work experience—excluding internships]
Candidate status
Domestic
[Permanent U.S. Work Authorization]
International
[Sponsorship Required]
Search type
Structured hiring
[Seeking structured opportunities at companies]
Just-in-time hiring
[Focused on functions/industries that do not typically have structured hiring programs]
Open
[No Geographic Limitations]
Targeted
[Geographic Restrictions]
Alumni insight
What are three things that you did during your first semester to help land your internship?
"I kept working at interview tactics that felt uncomfortable until they felt comfortable. You will know your elevator pitch is in a good place when it stops feeling awkward.
I reached out to alumni to hear how they used their Tippie degree as a platform for change and to gauge my industry fit.
Thanks to the guidance of the Tippie Career staff, I attended a career fair. In just a few days, you learn an incredible amount about potential paths, employers, and how to make your story resonate."
Are there different ways to get hired?
There are companies who utilize strict, structured hiring systems and timelines when looking for MBA and graduate student talent. Positions are posted a full year (or sometimes even longer) before the anticipated start date. Candidates progress through a standardized interview process and are often brought in as a cohort. Companies often send recruiters to campus to build their brand and generate interest in the position. The funnel is larger, and the company is filling more than one position.
Just-in-time hiring
Just-in-time hiring is a direct response to fill a vacant or recently created position. The period for this type of hiring is much shorter, with positions often filled 2-3 months after the original posting. Additionally, while networking is important to any job search, building relationships is critical to success here as these companies tend to involve a “who you know” factor, and internal referral is prevalent.
Structured hiring
Structured hiring is more prevalent among full-time students looking for the first or next position upon completing their degree. Working professionals will pursue just-in-time roles and leverage their network to find great position opportunities at their current company or another employer.
Alumni insight
The insight below comes from a Tippie alum who had a passion for bicycles, and a career goal to work in product management within the bike industry. The steps he outlines provide valuable perspective on what it takes to create success in a non-traditional career path.
“I do not know that I can even imagine my ‘dream job’ at this point. Coming back to graduate school was more about defining a new journey for my career vs being stuck in a job that had no room for personal growth. Persistence, positivity, and a willingness to always continue learning have served me well so far mobbing into a very technical industry. To me, the dream is to have a career that constantly challenges me and pushes on my limits. I do not imagine I will ever want to stop trying new things and learn more. To enable that, I positioned myself within an industry that is constantly redefining itself, so that I can work to tackle new and exciting projects in whatever form they may come.
That value of my degree was more about learning how to think and less about the facts that I learned. Do not let this process of critical thinking and continued education stop with school. The biggest thing that drives me crazy with new graduate interns is that so many focus on their jobs like an undergrad. They come in wanting to just do that assignment. The interns who thrive are those who go beyond what they are asked to do and apply their critical thinking skills to solve problems that are not even being asked.”