The (Baltimore) Sun published an article on the
difficulty of finding work after graduating from college. The article begins:
"They got their education during good economic times, but the nation's graduating college seniors are about to enter the job market just as conditions have rapidly taken a turn for the worse."
Grads and grads-to-be, your situation is not without precedent. When I graduated from college the unemployment rate was 5.6 percent. Today it is 5.1 percent. We heard the same discouraging words and somehow found work. Your future is more promising than it looks.
Position yourself well. Make your college courses count. Gather endorsements from your professors that speak to your strengths and character. These are future references. Focus on the skills that helped you succeed in college, and put them down on paper. Writing skills, time management skills, organizational skills, collaboration, analytical skills, dealing with change, multimedia skills, technical savvy and any reporting skills all transfer from college to work.
Get ready. List your most impressive accomplishments. From these and the skills listed above, create a resume that captures your achievements and showcases your performance in internships or part-time jobs. For example, if you demonstrated strong writing and analytical skills in your courses, highlight those courses and show how you transferred what you learned to practical applications in a professional environment. By making a list, you will build your confidence and get prepared to present yourself in interviews and over the phone.
Build your network. Use your network of contacts to reach out and connect with potential employers. Everyone in your network is a link to the other people in his or her own network -- use these contacts to find employment opportunities.
Know yourself. Include in your resume and cover letter those top strengths that make you someone to hire. Talk about your skills, strengths and accomplishments.
Persevere. Prepare yourself for several months of job hunting. Use every opportunity to seek out the names of new contacts you can call. Use every interview or face-to-face meeting to get constructive feedback to improve your approach.
Follow up. Keep a record of your networking and job-seeking activity and follow up on leads. Jobs can open up at any time -- you want to be accessible when the need is there. Use your search to learn about different employers and the different open jobs, and to identify trends. It will help you make a more educated decision when the job offer comes.
