Career Center: How to graduate into a great job
Those new to the job market may wonder, "Why would an employer want a new graduate, with so little real-world experience?"
For several reasons. As somebody fresh out of school, you probably have plenty of energy and time (no kids yet), so you're less likely to balk when your boss gives you a project that requires extra hours. Your technical skills are probably more current than those of someone who has been out of school for a couple of decades. And you're cheap: You probably cost half of what a 40-year-old expects. Even your inexperience can be a plus because an employer needn't rid you of the "bad habits" you learned from your previous employer.
But what if you don't know what you want to be when you grow up? Perhaps you assumed that you'd figure it out while you were in college. Alas, spending years with teachers and professors—people who opted out of the conventional 9-to-5 scene–isn't the best way to figure out what to do in the real world.
Here's how to start figuring it out:
Step 1: Identify your core skill or two. How? By listing your half-dozen major accomplishments and looking for the skill(s) that most helped you achieve those tasks.
Step 2: Visit www.careervoyages.gov to see if it helps you unearth a specific job title that excites you.
If you want to go for a job that's in high demand, for example, Monster.com's latest survey of 900 employers and 11,000 students found the most entry-level openings in:
- Sales (25 percent of all entry-level job openings nationwide)
- Administrative and support services (10 percent)
- Customer service and call-center services (6 percent)
- Advertising and marketing (5 percent)
- Retail (5 percent)
- Healthcare (5 percent)
Step 2 didn't yield a specific job title? Try another approach.
Step 3: Make a list of 20 companies, nonprofits, and/or government agencies in which you'd enjoy using your core skills.
Step 4: Make a list of 50 people who like you. And yes, you do know 50 people! How about those members of your Econ 101 study group; your haircutter; your parents' lawyer or accountant; people in your alumni association, church, or volunteer group; maybe even your ex-boyfriend's parents? You can also find connections among the 3 million members of www.linkedin.com.
Step 5: Ask your 50 fans if they know someone at one of your 20 target employers or at some other employer who could hire you or help you get hired. If so, ask if they'd set up a three-way meeting or conference call or at least allow you to say they suggested you call.
Step 6: At those meetings, describe in one sentence what you're seeking. For example, "I'm looking for a job that requires the ability to be persuasive and that won't require me to sit at a desk all day. Any thoughts?" Get feedback on your resume. Also ask if they're aware of a problem the employer is facing that you might be able to help solve.
Step 7: For any of the 20 employers at which you don't have a personal connection, call the human resources department. Explain why you put that employer on your list of dream employers, for example, "I've always been fascinated with the stock market, I've heard you're trying to attract younger customers, and, frankly, you're located 10 minutes from my house." Then say, "I'm looking for a job where I can use my ability to [insert core skills]. Any advice on where I should turn?" Whether or not you get a lead, ask the person if he or she would mind keeping an ear open for you, and if you can call back in a month to check in and report on your progress. In any event, send a handwritten thank-you note.
Step 8: In interviews, tell 30-to-60-second stories of your accomplishments: a problem you faced, how you addressed it, and its positive resolution. If you haven't already, tease out a problem the employer is facing and brainstorm how you might help solve it. Be enthusiastic but honest about your strengths and weaknesses. All employers will appreciate your candor: The wrong employer will know you're wrong for the job, and a right one will hire you.
Don't close too quickly. The purpose of a first or even second interview is usually not to get a job offer; it's to get another interview. So at the end of an interview, you might ask, "I'm excited about what we've discussed here. Would you mind if I extended our discussion by writing a brief summary and proposal? And perhaps we can meet again to discuss that?"
A final tip. Many people have endured lousy jobs for a lifetime. If you don't like your job or your boss, don't "pay dues" for long. As soon as possible, pitch for a better job or start your own business.
All these steps may sound daunting, but if you want a job, they're necessary. The monster.com survey reports that 45 percent of 2004 college graduates are still living at home.