Congratulations on your graduation! You worked hard to get good grades in college and to be prepared to land a great job. Know that finding work as a recent college graduate can be challenging. The economy and job market seem to be starting to take a turn. It’s been an employee market where anyone could find a job. Now employers are taking back some control and being more selective with their candidates. You’ve been applying to jobs the last couple of months, and you’ve either had no interviews or phone screens, but you don’t advance in the process. Here are 6 tips that can help you NOW:
- Use your network − increase the chances of your application being viewed by a human by networking with school alumni, your family friends, your fraternity/sorority/club members, and professors to just name a few.
- Remain positive − an upbeat attitude is apparent to anyone who comes in contact with you. While it might be frustrating that you are not making progress in your search, don’t let that show.
- Reduce your expenses − it adds undue stress to graduate without a job and has expenses to pay. Some ways to reduce your anxiety: create a budget, move home, or defer student loans.
- Set realistic expectations − it is competitive out there, don’t think you are going to find a job in a week. Be patient and open to different opportunities. Consider positions that will give you a chance to gain professional experience, build transferrable skills and get into a company, because mobility within a company is much easier.
- Develop new skills − when you are applying to jobs and the qualifications say the company is looking for someone with experience in a specific technology, be proactive: sign up for a LinkedIn course, watch a YouTube video and teach yourself. See if you can help your parents or someone with a project to gain some experience.
- Keep busy − you will go crazy if you spend all day, every day searching for jobs whether it is applying online or networking. Consider volunteering and a bonus if you can gain new skills to highlight on your resume in the process.
Our final advice: be proactive, positive, and organized in your job search. Remember looking for a job is a job in itself. Now that you have finished classes, treat this with as much commitment as your coursework. Career Track Coaching can help get you positioned to be a top candidate, educate you on innovative ways to get an interview, and stand out in the interview process to land a job you can enjoy and thrive in!
