It’s that time of year again… The time of year when college seniors who haven’t found jobs yet are pretending everything is fine when it’s not.
The time of year when parents are parsing their words while trying to influence, cajole, and nudge their kids into the job market without putting the relationship at risk.
In addition to my work at Avarah, I serve as Assistant Director of Career Services at the Lerner College of Business & Economic at the University of Delaware. My days recently have been filled meeting with students, many of whom waited far too long to apply for that summer internship or full-time job. They want me to look at their resume. They are asking me what they are doing wrong. When I inquire about what they’ve done so far, the answer becomes crystal clear.
They don’t know what they are doing and it’s not their fault
This is a very difficult and complex job market. The tactics that we used to rely on aren’t working, and the game has changed dramatically. Here’s a sobering thought, but someone has to tell you: If you haven’t looked for a job (internal promotions don’t count) in the last 5 years, if you aren’t an active member of a corporate recruiting team (hiring managers don’t count), then what you think you know about job hunting is at best outdated, and at worst even harmful and counterproductive. On some level, young folks know this. They’re not ignoring you, they just sense that something is off and it is.
The good news? There are still things in our control! So if you are a graduating student, or the parent of one, facing a big fat empty “What’s next?” don’t panic. Do this:
- Instead of scrolling the job boards (only 20% of jobs are posted on paid public job boards), make a target employer list of 40-50 organizations that are places you want to work. Consider where you want to be, what industries you like, what skills you have or want to develop.
- Capture the careers page URL for each organization and put it in a spreadsheet. This is now your personalized job board. Check it 2-3 times a week. Jobs will be posted here well before they show up on LinkedIn or Indeed (if they ever do). Applicants that come in through the corporate website are often given preference.
- Use LinkedIn to identify 3-5 people to reach out to at each company. They should be near-peers, i.e., 3-5 years ahead of you in related roles. 85% of people who found new roles credited making an internal connection. It’s no longer who you know, it is who you choose to meet!
- Email these people at work and ask if they’d be open to chatting about how they like the company (Do not ask for a job!). You can check out my video where I show you exactly how to do that here.
- Lather, rinse, repeat…
Also, have a professional check out your resume – your college or university career services office can help! But do not pay someone $500-$1500 for this – the templates that online resume services use often have graphics and other formats that can’t be read by applicant tracking systems. Pretty does not equal effective!
Need more help? Please reach out, I’m happy to chat with you. You can schedule an appointment here.
Cheers to your career!
I am a career REBEL!
I define my work.
My career is in my hands.
I stand up for who I am and how I contribute to the greater good.
I will invest my portfolio of knowledge, skills, and abilities
where they will earn the most significant return.
