Okay. You have graduated but you
don’t have a job yet. Welcome to the 55% of graduates who are in the still hunt
for their first job post tassel turning. Does this mean that the remaining 45% have found a job?
Heck no! They are working part time, have gone to grad school, enlisted in the
military or have holed up in their parents basement playing Grand Theft Auto V. Feel alone?
Don’t. Feel unprepared? Well, you don’t need to. While you are looking for a
job, there are many things you can do with your time to prepare yourself for
the first job you want to land. This is critical as many future
interviewers will ask you “so, what would have you been doing with your time since
you graduated?” Going to Burning Man, competing in Beer Pong tournaments
and building yurts in New Mexico probably won’t impress many would be hiring
managers…unless they have lived in a yurt.
You can take several approaches but
this is what I would recommend that you focus on:
Skill Development
If your interest is in sales….take a
course in sales skills. Marketing…learn as much as you can about social media
marketing. Biology? Who knows but there are business classes specific to
bio-med. Take an extension course. WHAT? You mean…go back to school? YES. Get a
professional certificate in the field you want to pursue. Gaining knowledge
through course work taught by working professionals verses professors will be
extremely enlightening. There is a professional society or certification
program for darn near every profession. Search on the internet for a
professional certification program in the field you are interested in. Odds are
with a little bit of money and additional time invested, you will be more
qualified than the other candidates who are applying for the same job.
Volunteer
There is no shortage of a need for
enthusiastic volunteers. Find a non-profit in your area, contact the Director
and ask to meet with them about where you can contribute. In exchange, ask them
to be a reference for you. Business organizations like Junior Achievement are
always looking for people. If teaching is your goal, find out if you can
volunteer 20 hours a week at a local school. Find an organization that supports
a cause you believe in and volunteer.
Communication Skills
Demonstrating superior verbal and
written communication skills in business is essential. Sadly,
college does not adequately prepare students to be effective communicators in a
business environment. The ability to speak confidently, concisely and with
relevance will distinguish you from other candidates. So, do you tremble at the
thought of speaking in front of a group? Contact a Toastmasters group in your
area. They provide a supportive professional environment where you can stand up
and learn how to speak publicly. Dale Carnegie has been training business professionals
for over 50 years in the craft of gaining confidence through communication. You
think this is too old school? Get over it. Odds are your bosses's, bosses's, boss
took the same course and will be impressed that you did too. The point is
you won’t learn how to speak confidently in a business environment Skype-ing
with your cousin in Cleveland who graduated 2 years ago and is working in
shipping and receiving. There are many professional organizations who can
assist you in improving your communications skills. Find one. Join. Improve.
Build your network
You have a LinkedIn profile, right?
If not, click on a browser, go to www.linkedin.com and develop a profile. If you are not
on LinkedIn, you are already invisible to the business world. If you are on
LinkedIn start to expand your network by doing the following:
1) Join
your college alumni LinkedIn Group.
2) Find
groups that are associated with the fields you are interested in pursuing for a
career and join them.
3) Invite
others to connect on LinkedIn. Classmates, professors, former employers,
friends. Work as fast as you can to build up a network of 200 1st level contacts, then 300, 400 and
more.
The value of your professional
network is more than invaluable. It will be your lifeline at some point in your
career. Lay the foundation now.
Where you a member of a club,
sorority or fraternity? Did you play a sport, participate on the debate team or
sing in the choir? Search for former members of the club, team or singing group
who have graduated and are working in a field you are interested in. Your
common association will get you in the door. Ask them for input. Ask them what
was the path they took that resulted in their current position. I will bet you
a latte that more that 60% of the people you reach out to will respond and be
willing to help. Give it a try.
Finding a job IS a full time job. It
requires tenacity, patience and a strategy. It also demands that you spend your
time wisely so you have meaningful evidence to show how you spent your time
while you were spending your time looking for a job.
Keep at it. Don’t lose hope. Move
forward. Great things will happen.
