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You’re graduating! How Can You Find a Good Job?

(This post is an update to an article written for the Shippensburg University Career Newsletter)

Spring is an exciting time for graduating seniors. March Madness is in the air, the days are longer and warmer temperatures are just around the corner.

But it can also be a stressful time, as seniors prepare themselves to step out into the real world and find their first professional job.

Today’s economy presents both opportunities and challenges for soon-to-be grads. On the down side, the American economy is strong and jobless rates are near an all-time low, putting graduates in an uphill battle as they try to find a job in a market where few positions are available. On the positive side, new graduates bring fresh ideas to the status quo in established businesses, making them a natural draw for forward-thinking companies. Moreover, new graduates have little experience, allowing employers to mold and shape their thinking to their professional practices (and at a lower price point than a seasoned professional).

When opportunities do come knocking, upcoming and recent graduates need to make sure their resume stands out among the rest. As the saying goes, you can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job. So what can college students do to make themselves more marketable? Here are a few tips:

Get Involved. Participate in campus activities related to your major. Are you studying communications? Write for the college newspaper, or get a show on the campus radio station. Pursuing a degree in geography? Join the department’s geography club and be active.

Volunteer. Want to be a great elementary education teacher? Volunteer with the local Head Start program, offer babysitting services, be a tutor, or participate in a Latchkey program. There are plenty of local education outreach opportunities in most areas.

Take leadership roles. Signing up for or volunteering with a club or organization is nice, but to really stand out to employers, students should seek out leadership roles in organizations. Are you a social media maven? Great! Put it to use marketing your organization’s good work. Have a knack for numbers? Good. Help keep your club’s finances in order as treasurer.

Network. If your campus club or organization has ties to local or regional organizations that hold meetings or mixers, make sure you participate. Introduce yourself to working professionals and talk to them. Establish relationships—they last a lifetime.

Intern. Many companies offer (and most college programs encourage, if not mandate) student internship or independent study opportunities. This is a great way to put your education to work, build your resume, learn about the working world, and maybe get your foot in the door (read: establish a relationship) with a future employer.

Sharpen your “future” skills. Technology changes constantly. Be sure to stay on top of emerging and growing trends, whether in your preferred career path or not. Digital services and analytics capabilities are in high demand right now, making students who can understand and interpret metrics-based tools a hot commodity. As you develop in your career, it’s important to learn and stay on top of these trends as well. Networking can help here too.

All of these efforts aren’t guaranteed to land you a position or even a comfortable income to start, but they will help to build a resume that demonstrates good experience that will get noticed.

Oh, and be sure to start early. Don’t wait until two months before graduating to get in the game.

Good luck!

Interested in learning more? Contact me today at bmccoy@mccoycommunications.com to discuss how I can help!

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5 Job Search Takeaways I Learned Talking to Recruiting and HR Professionals

 

A number of my professional colleagues recently entered (and a few successfully left) the job search market. The fact that jobless rates are at an all-time low notwithstanding, those who are still looking seem to be at a disadvantage to their recent and soon-to-be college graduate counterparts. College graduates are often schooled on the ins-and-outs of applying and interviewing for their first real-world jobs, including what to wear, say and do. Yet while the basics may remain the same, times and trends can change, putting experienced professionals at a disadvantage.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with recruiting and human resources professionals Johanna DiCosimo, Recruiting Manager at GDC IT Solutions; Masai Lawson, Manager of Talent Acquisition at Gannett Fleming; Lynda Spiegel, founder of Rising Star Resumes; and Amanda Baker, Director of the McComsey Career Development Center at Alfred University, to discuss their thoughts on job searching for experienced professionals.

Ditch the Cover Letter

Though their thoughts differ in some regards, most agree on one thing: cover letters are useless. “Unless you’re a recent graduate or are changing careers, don’t bother sending a cover letter, because it won’t get read,” Spiegel says.

“If it’s requested,” DiCosimo adds, “send it, but it likely won’t get read anyway.”

Stay Relevant

When asked what skilled professionals can do to reinvent themselves in the eyes of a prospective employer and make sure their skills stay relevant, DiCosimo noted the importance of standing out in one’s capabilities.

“Build your personal brand,” she emphasized. “Create a blog, build your LinkedIn profile—just raise your visibility so employers can find you.”

“Yes, don’t be a generalist,” Lawson adds. “Be clear and concise about who you are and where your strengths and capabilities lie.” Candidates can’t be all things to all employers, so let them know who you are and where your talent lies to find the right match.

About blogging, Spiegel added, “Write about things that interest you, because you’re likely not the only one interested in that topic.” Whether its antique cars, healthy eating or quantum physics, there are millions of readers eager to consume online content. Writing that content positions you as an expert, which is something that employers look for.

Show, Don’t Tell

This same clarity and conciseness can be applied to writing your resume as well. “Recruiters and human resources professionals don’t have the time nor interest to sort through boring blocks of narrative,” Spiegel says. “Make it easier—and more interesting—for them to read by bulleting your accomplishments in action-based statements.”

Baker adds, “Don’t just say you did or achieved XYZ. Prove or quantify it numerically. For example, rather than telling an employer what a good salesperson you are, show them with measurement by saying, ‘Increased sales by $X thousand dollars’ or ‘Lowered costs by Y%.’”

Stay Current

Everyone I spoke to agrees that candidates of all ages need to stay current on digital communication trends. “Digital services are in demand right now,” DiCosimo said. “To get anywhere today or in the future, you need to understand the digital space.”

“Coding and web development are huge,” Lawson noted, “If you can add these skills to your list of qualifications, your probability of finding a position will increase dramatically.”

DiCosimo adds, “In today’s social media-driven marketplace, understanding, interpreting and using analytics and metric-based tools is key.”

Baker notes that the best way to stay current in whatever industry you’re interested in is to network. “Reach out to people you know who do what you want to do or at the company where you want to work and connect with them on LinkedIn.” Leverage those contacts by asking if they know of anyone you can speak with. “Everyone knows someone,” she says.

Salary is a Sensitive Subject—for Everyone

Another area of agreement: salary is one of the most feared conversations during an interview.

“I’m not going to lie,” DiCosimo laughs, “Salary is as uncomfortable a subject for recruiters as it is for candidates.”

From the job seeker’s perspective, salary can be a double-edged sword. Asking for what you want can price you out of contention quickly, while not asking for enough can undervalue your experience. The trick, then, is how to get what you deserve without coming right out and saying it?

When talking to a recruiter, Lawson says it’s fair to ask what the position’s salary range is. Spiegel agrees. “Asking can help the candidate understand if they are a suitable fit for the position,” she says.

So how do you answer the dreaded questions “What is your salary history?” and “What is your salary expectation?”

For the latter, Spiegel says use deflection—respectfully. “Say, ‘I think it’s best for each of us if we first determine what value I can add to the company in this role.’” If pressed, she says continue to avoid a specific number and focus on your potential contributions to the company.

As for the latter, do your homework before you begin negotiating. Know what the salary range is for the job title you’re applying for in that geographic market. Salaries in larger metropolitan areas are generally higher than suburban and rural towns. To answer the question, Spiegel again encourages avoiding a firm number. “Say, ‘I’m interested in finding a position that’s a good fit for my skills and interests. I’m confident that the salary offered is competitive in the market.”

The bottom line to making a connection with a prospective employer is finding the value that your skills and experience bring to the job.

Job searching for the experienced professional can be an arduous process. And needless to say, the days of graduating from college and staying in a job until retirement are long gone. It may seem that college graduates have the upper hand in landing a job in today’s marketplace, but using the tips above can give experienced professionals an edge over the competition.

Need help with your job search strategy? Email me at bmccoy@mccoycommunications.com or complete the form below. I look forward to hearing from you!