The Experience Gap – Finding A Job Out Of College
We’ve all been there, searching for our first “real,” professional job out of college. It can be an incredibly discouraging process. Depending on your field of study and the industry in which you’re job hunting, advice around your career can vary greatly. I have pulled together a list of of things I learned while job hunting straight out of college and discoveries I’ve made in the past 5 or so years. This advice is not meant as a catch-all for everyone. But, I hope it’s useful to some of you, recent graduates and unemployed alike.
While You’re Still In College, Find An Internship
Or, at the very least, please work. Belonging to the greek system is great, volunteering is wonderful, but to really round yourself out you should try and find a job. At a local coffee shop, retail, work study, wherever.
Interning seems easy in theory, but a lot of campus have less-than-stellar career/internship resources and you may have to research and inquire about internships on your own. When I was in school, I interned abroad in London, at a fashion PR firm. I hated it, even though I traveled abroad specifically to intern, I was placed in a field for which I had no interest. I ended up leaving after a few weeks, but I still added it to my resume after graduating, and I milked it for all it was worth. And, it worked.
Request Q&A Interviews
If local companies are not hiring, inquire about an informational interview with a manager in your field/department of choice. You never know.
Your Resume – Remember That ALL Jobs Have The Potential To Count
It may seem silly to talk about acquiring time-management skills at your summer job with Banana Republic, but you can spin any job to count. Trust me.
Your Resume – More Is Not Necessarily Better
While it’s important to remember that all jobs have the potential count, it’s equally important to not throw every job since your childhood lemonade stand onto your resume. Keep it focused and relevant.
All Resumes Are Not Created Equal
When you’re younger you are usually applying for a greater range of positions. Don’t make the mistake of sending the same resume to every potential employer. If you’re applying for a mixture of administrative assistant and marketing assistant jobs, tailor your resumes for each.
Check Out The Competition
Did you know that Craigslist had an entire section available for people to post their resumes? You can also find resumes available for viewing on select career websites. Sometimes it helps to see what others using to present themselves to potential employers.
Join LinkedIN
You’ll have access to hiring managers otherwise unavailable through their company’s website. For example, J Crew does not provide a careers section on their website, only a general email where you can send resumes to HR. However, on LinkedIN, you can find profiles for hiring managers, HR recruiters and department managers. In addition, you can seek out information or guidance from previous employees.
Don’t Turn Up Your Nose At Temp Work
There are three reasons I recommend temporary work:
1. The potential for expanding your skill set is high.
2. The possibility that, if you perform to standard, you are offered a full-time position is high.
3. Sometimes there’s no other choice.
I worked as a temp for 9 months right out of college. It was an administrative assistant/receptionist job that I really disliked and I spent the entire 9 months hunting for a creative position elsewhere, However, during that time I happily accepted any and every task thrown my way (this included a day of taking readings at a power plant in FRENSO). I convinced my manager that the company should foot the bill for my advanced courses in Excel and Access and with my newly-acquired knowledge I developed a resume database for HR.
It was not terribly interesting, but it was something new and I was fully aware that I was expanding my skill set in a big way. Even though I never used Access again (nor do I have a desire to do so), it was something I could speak to at the time – I learned the program and I executed my knowledge in a way that saved the company time and money.
Think Beyond “Jobs” For Padding Your Experience & Skills
If you have volunteered, written a great letter that was published in a newspaper, worked on a project for a friend or family member or participated in events for an organization, all have the potential to add depth to your resume. Think about all the things you’ve done outside of work or school that you’re proud of. Make a thorough list and choose 1-3 items that highlight transferable skills such as time management, focus or delegation.
Aim High
Don’t focus all your effort into applying for “entry level” jobs, even if you are just emerging from school. Any good (key word here) hiring manager knows to seek out candidates who are engaged and eager to learn. Hiring candidates who can perform every item listed on a job description could potentially lead to bored employees who will soon seek out more interesting opportunities.
When I applied for a job at my current company, the job description noted “firm knowledge of Quark XPress.” I had never heard of the program, but I didn’t let it stop me from applying. When I got the call, I bought a book and started reading before my interview. As it turns out, the department was only just converting from producing materials in Word to Quark, and my boss didn’t even know how to use the software. During the interview I told him that I had never used it, but had been reading about the program and was interested in learning more. He was impressed.
Use Some Of Your Free Time To Go Back To School
I know, I know….you’ve only just graduated. The thing is, depending on your degree, you may have not had much exposure to even the most basic software, like Microsoft Office. Depending on the types of jobs you’re seeking out, a class in Excel or business writing can only improve your chances of being hired.
Seek Out Work At Smaller Companies
Small to mid-sized companies are fabulous for both growth opportunities and flexing your skill set.
If you have any other grand ideas or experiences you’d like to share, as always, feel free to speak up in the comments!
Penny At The Office – Job Hunting, Resume & Interviewing Tips
Given the current economic mess and the fact that many of us have a) lost our jobs, b) are on the cusp of losing our jobs, or c) fearful of losing our jobs, patching up the old resume isn’t a terrible idea. This is on my list of things to do before June (aka, the month when my company discovers it cannot pay for Q4 product and implodes). I am a fairly knowledgeable gal when it comes to career-related advice, so I thought I might share some of my philosophies, opinions and ideas around job hunting.
The Job Hunt
* Think beyond Craigslist and Indeed. There are tons of job sites that cater to specific industries or professions. In addition, a lot of online communities/social networking sites have job boards. Look everywhere and dig deep.
* Make a list of companies you’d be interested in working for. Not hiring? Who cares, send them your information anyhow. Make sure you let them know that you are interested in working for THEM and why. Keep it short and sweet.
* Networking is not scary. When I was younger I scoffed at the idea of networking. I always envisioned a room full of stiff, nervous people milling about while trying to catch someone’s ear. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that “networking” is basically talking to people. Your friends, random strangers you meet at the bar, people online, etc. I’ve been tapped into job opportunities by the most random people, like the guy I sold concert tickets to through Craiglist who had a good friend at Gap Inc. Be friendly, chat people up. It’s simple.
* Pick up your phone. If you’re actively looking for a job, pick up every call that comes through. Even if you are avoiding a bill collector or an ex. You can’t miss these calls in this climate – no screening!
The Resume
Sitting down to pull together or update your resume can result in a major brain freeze and infinite frustration.
* Finish your resume completely before looking for jobs. If you begin looking for jobs first, you may get your Eager Beaver pants on and end up with a mediocre resume in your rush to apply.
* Keep it to one page, please. Unless you are in an executive-level position or multi-page resumes are are the norm in your industry, there is no reason for your resume to be more than one page. Practice some restraint, pull off old jobs, choose your words carefully, and play with the layout.
* Speaking of playing with the layout, give horizontal formatting a try. A few years ago I laid out my resume in a horizontal (landscape) format and I love it. It allows me to arrange my information in three columns, allowing more text while remaining easy to read.
* Bulleted lists are your friend. Not only does arranging the meat of your resume in list form help you keep focus, it’s easier for potential employers to read.
* Quantify your successes. This is vital in ANY industry.
* Personalize your cover letter. First of all, if you are not sending cover letters with your resumes, you’re making a huge mistake. Secondly, if you’re sending long-winded paragraphs-long cover letters, you’re wasting your time. Lastly, do not send the same cover letter to each potential employer. I realize this sounds time consuming, but it requires a little extra work that will pay off. Create a template for your letter and adapt given the position/company. Write a short, focused introduction and pull a few key plugs from your resume, arranging them in a bulleted list. Always hand-sign your letters.
* Choose paper that helps you stand out. I’m not talking about decorated or colored paper, but good quality, heavy paper stock. I prefer Crane’s. Never send off your resumes and cover letters on plain white printer paper.
* When sending your resume electronically, PDF the file. My resume is an InDesign file, so I don’t really have a choice, but even if your resume was created in Word, it’s a good idea to PDF the file when sending electronically. This ensures that the employer will see your resume exactly as you intended and copy will not shift. HOWEVER, you should usually send a Word or text editor file as well, just in case. And, if you are applying for jobs through a company’s website, always choose the option to copy and paste your resume into the field they have provided. Many companies use keyword-search software when weeding out potential candidates.
The Interview
* Prepare for the unexpected, but do not over-prepare. Don’t roll your eyes, stick with me. I have found that the best way to walk into an interview is with a simple list of potential behavioral-based questions (i.e. “tell me about a time…”) with a few short notes listed under each. At home, I will take a page for each question that I anticipate, for example, “tell me about a time you took initiative in your current position.” I will write “INITIATIVE” at the top of the page and then start some stream-of-consciousness writing; anything and everything goes down on the page. Stories, buzz words, numbers, names, projects, etc. I edit back later.
* Stay calm and apply some critical thinking. Calm yourself as much as possible and keep your head focused. Don’t try to memorize what you’re going to say, but practice various responses to anticipated questions. The more confident you are in your abilities and what you have done in your professional past, the better you’ll present yourself. If you’re not confident about your accomplishments, fake yourself into believing you are. I don’t care if you spent the majority of your last job making coffee, think about the times you contributed, even if it seems unimportant, and roll with it. Dress it up in a bow and make it sound better than reality. Just don’t flat-out lie, please.
* Practice in front of the mirror.
* Always have questions. Always always always!! Prepare these ahead of time. They can be basic, but it’s even better if you do some research on the company and ask more specific questions.
* Do not bring up benefits on the first interview. This is nearly always inappropriate, not to mention unprofessional.
* Dress comfortably and professionally. This should be a no-brainer, although there’s a wide spectrum of what’s appropriate given your industry. Which is why I am glad I’m not a lawyer.
* Offer up a firm handshake, smile and make eye contact.
* Bring multiple hard copies of your resume, just in case.
* Always end the interview with thanks and an inquiry into the next steps. Make sure you ask for a card.
* ALWAYS write thank you notes for each person you’ve interviewed with. Write these right after the interview and drop them in the mail the same day. Use plain-stock note or correspondence cards, preferably without a “thank you” message.
