More than two million students are expected to graduate from college this year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics measuring the current national unemployment rate at 8.5%, new college graduates are undoubtedly going to have a tougher time finding work than they have had in years. Many graduates and their parents are concerned about the prospects of the current job market and are considering other options, such as going straight into graduate school. With the right strategies and a lot of patience, college graduates can still find jobs in the marketplace, even in the current recession.
Use the Career Services Office
Almost every college and university has a career services office. The purpose of the office is to assist graduates and alumni with resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, and job seeking. While the quality of services may differ among the various schools, at the very least any assistance a student can get with resume writing could go a long way towards landing an interview. Since schools have working relationships with many local businesses and those run by or owned by alumni, graduates of a particular university may have a better shot at landing a job at one of the companies that have a relationship with their school.
Network with Friends, Family, Alumni, and More
Networking has always been one of the most fundamental methods used to find job openings and secure interviews. Keith Ferrazzi, author of Never Eat Alone [Broadway Business, 2005], says “I’ve come to believe that connecting [with others] is one of the most important business – and life – skill sets you’ll ever learn.”
Over the last few years, the amount of networking opportunities has grown exponentially with technology such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and even Twitter.
Graduates' abilities to culture the relationships gained through all of their encounters, whether they were in high school, college, summer break, through an internship, or any other outlet, may be the most useful tool in their arsenal. It is best for recent graduates to notify everyone in their network that they are looking for a job, indicate where they would like to work (city or state), and specify what type of work or industry they seek.
Consider Temporary Help
During an uncertain economy, businesses are more likely to hire temporary help through a temp or placement agency. If the economy recovers quickly, a worker that is currently familiar with the project will be more likely to be hired by the company. Even if that is not the case, it is better to gain experience, especially for recent graduates, than to spend several months as an unemployed graduate, waiting for the economy to recover. When businesses do start to hire more workers, competition will be fierce and any extra experience gained will be invaluable.
Do Independent Job Research
While 600,000 jobs may have been lost last month, companies are still hiring, but perhaps in a different city or a different industry. Since graduates are accustomed to research, now is the time to utilize those same research skills and start researching individual industries and individual companies to see which ones are hiring or are likely to hire. Learn something about the companies and then contact them to see if they are going to be filling any entry-level positions or if they are looking to bring any recent college graduates on board. Making contacts at any level could lead to recommendations or referrals.
Consider a Federal Government Job
Not all federal jobs are located in Washington, D.C., but are scattered throughout the country, and in some instances overseas. Many agencies recruit college graduates for their career intern programs, which are usually a two-year paid internship program where the work, pay, and benefits are the same as other federal employees. The only caveat is that the appointment is a term appointment and will end in two years. Many career interns, however, do get a job offer from the agency at the end of the term. To search for federal jobs, go to Usajobs.gov. The site has a section specifically labeled “Entry Level Professional” which will narrow the search field down to many of the positions for which recent college graduates are eligible.
Next Steps
Several strategies and tools exist that will assist college students in their job search. The key is that these resources can only assist the graduates. The decision and the effort to use these tools is the responsibility of the job seeker. All data indicates that finding a job in this economy is much more difficult than in recent years, but those graduates who are willing to put forth the time and energy in their job search will be rewarded above those who remain passive.
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