I Just Graduated College – Now What?!
Walking across that graduation stage (or attending your virtual ceremony) is one of the greatest accomplishments in your life. All that hard work paid off, and now you’re ready to take on the world! There’s just one problem – what do I do now? In today’s market there are numerous jobs made just for recent college grads; you just have to find it and go after it.
Network, Network, Network
Tap into the hidden job market and make connections through social networking. It has been reported that 80 percent of jobs are never advertised. Your challenge is to find out where those jobs exist. Take advantage of every available opportunity to connect with employers in person, such as job fairs, campus interviews and other networking events.
Get a Part Time Job and Volunteer or Intern
If you can still live cheaply or at home, volunteering or interning can help build skills and your resume. If you get a part time job to keep a flow of cash coming in, spending your extra time on volunteer activities is not just a great way to contribute to the community, but you gain new skills and meet people -- including potential employers. Job seekers can never get too much experience, and an internship is a great way to get it. This is an especially good idea for graduates who didn’t have an internship while they were in school.
Go West, Young Person
Sometimes job seekers may need to expand their requirements to find the right fit. In some cases, it may mean looking for positions in another city or state. While moving may sound scary, you’ll find that by thinking nationally (or even globally) you can apply to more places and find yourself on a real journey of growth. Sometimes the best person for the job is an outsider. Geography can create certain habits, and bringing in a more relaxed west coast person or a hard working mid-wester, or a go-getter east coast worker can be the type of cultural shake up a company needs.
Get on the World Wide Web ASAP
Creating a personal website can help job seekers show off their expertise and build their branding. Recent college graduates can use a website to blog about issues related to the field they want to enter, display class projects and share their resume. Don’t forget to post resumes on Monster, Indeed, and other websites recruiters and headhunters use. Most recruiters use LinkedIn to find job candidates, so it’s important for recent graduates to devote job search time to connecting with potential employers on the site. Make sure your social media is not controversial. Sure, it was fun posting that beer pong challenge on Instagram, until hiring managers get worried that was on a Tuesday and not during the weekend.