The golden rule of writing is to write about what you know, and I know unemployment. I’m not talking about “laid-off-from-my-job-and-collecting-unemployment-checks” unemployment. I’m talking about “graduated-from-college-and-looking-for-my-first-job-unemployment.” I graduated back in August 2009 from grad school so I’ve been officially unemployed for about six months. There is a lot of uncertainty that hovers around graduating from college – finding a full-time job being the biggest uncertainty. The fact is that a few will land a job before graduation, some will land a job a couple of months after graduation, and some will find a job later after graduation. It all depends on where you’re looking, what you’re looking for, and how hard you’re looking. (note* The unemployment rate for those 20-24 years old was around 9.5% at the end of 2009 and around 5% for those college grads 25 and over. )
I wish I could tell you the keys to finding that elusive first job, but I can’t…I haven’t found it yet. What I can tell you are some helpful tips that can result in more beneficial leads, more interview opportunities, and a stronger personal network.
1) Know what you’re looking for and where you want to find it. If you don’t know what type of job you want, then you should probably figure that out. Do some reading and research, and figure out what career would be best for you. Before I graduated I knew I wanted to work in public relations in Western/Central New York. This will come in handy when you analyze your local job market and search for openings.
2) SWOT yourself. Anyone who majored in communications or business know what this is: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Analyze yourself – and be honest! Are you a strong writer? Are you a math person, and great with statistical analysis? Are you unconditionally optimistic? Do you see red when a thread is hanging loose from your shirt? Think about all of your qualities, good and bad, write them down. Your strengths – highlight them. Your weaknesses - work to fix them. Opportunities and threats are a little more tricky. For opportunities, think about the people you know, the place where you live, and the job you want. Work to figure out how the three of these could be linked together (I’ll explain more in the networking section). The threats are the hundreds and thousands of other people just like you who are looking for a job in your market. It’s your job to stand out from the rest.
3) Network. If you haven’t heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” well now you have and, to certain point, it’s true. Your degree will only get you so far. That’s where your work ethic and personal network come in – meet people. And I’m not talking about just finding people on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn. Those networks can be great if you’re looking for a job in another city/state. If you’re looking in your home city, nothing beats face-to-face networking. Look for professional groups and networking events in your job market. Attend these events and meet some experienced professionals who can open a door to an entirely new network. Be sure you don’t just go around handing out business cards and asking for access to their network (you’ll sound creepy) - actually meet and converse with people, even if it’s only a few people each time. Attending these functions can lead to interview opportunities, project collaborations, and friendships. Just go in with an enthusiasm to learn about the other professionals attending.
4) KEEP BUSY! I emphasize this one because I feel it is the most important. Being out of work is like a baseball player in the offseason – if you don’t train during the offseason, then your stats will suffer next season. Keeping busy when you’re unemployed includes a variety of things. Attend networking events/conferences, schedule informational interviews, read books, read blogs, comment on blogs, write a blog, read trade magazine and industry reports, and most important…find somewhere to practice! Volunteer at organizations, look for companies that may have freelance work, collaborate on projects with people in your network…do work that pertains to the career you want. Find an opportunity that allows you to hone in on the skills that would apply to a full-time job in that position. People who are hiring do not like to see gaps in resumes, so do what you can to prevent that from happening – this is where your network comes in handy. People are helpful…just remember to return the favor when you are on the other side.
People say that looking for a job is a job in itself, and that is true. But if you sit at home all day sending cold resumes and crafting cover letter after cover letter, then that may eventually turn into your job, and it doesn’t pay well. From my experience, the best leads and job opportunities came from friends within my network who saw a job opening and thought it may be something that I would be interested in. It doesn’t necessarily lead to a job, but it’s a better bet than finding a job opening and applying blind. Example: While I do not have a full-time position, I have gained experience doing contract work. After having an informational interview with the principal at an agency at which I used to intern, he asked if I would like to come back and work on some projects with the agency. What this lead to something full-time? I can’t say for certain, but at least I am gaining some great work experience and keeping in contact with some great people.
Two quick additional things to remember: 1) There is only so much a degree and networking can do. Once you’re in the interview, it’s all up to you to showcase your personality and experience. 2) Looking for a job is very frustrating. Rejection is inevitable. As the saying goes, “When you fall off your horse, pick yourself up and get back on.” Don’t shoot the horse and turn it into glue. Don’t give up. I know I won’t.
Cheers,
Rich
Related posts:
- Are NUS/NTU Graduates Creative Enough?
- 5 per cent of graduates defaulted on CPF loans
- Beware contracting out our young graduates’ future
- Can China’s economy absorb six million graduates?
- Fresh graduates expecting $3000 starting pay this year
- Why Your Job Search Is Not All About You
- Seeking Help When Unemployed
- Job search experience of a female masters degree graduate
