First off, let me congratulate you for graduating! Welcome to the “real world.” The infamous real world… one that is really living up to its infamy right now.
As projections for college hiring show that companies will hire 22% fewer college graduates than last year, business majors have it even harder at a fall of 31%. And finance majors? Forget about it! 71% fewer than last year.
And if that’s not bad enough, a new study shows that only 49.9% of new graduates are finding themselves in jobs that actually require a bachelors degree. This is down from 57.9% in 2000.
So, chances are you will be either unemployed or underemployed. Congratulations, eh? But don’t let any of that discourage you. You have the world at your fingertips. We are all excited about what you have to offer and are eagerly awaiting your arrival!
Q. With this economy being as tough as it is, what is your advice for graduates that are looking for jobs?
A. Don’t “wait for the economy to improve.” I know a lot of people doing this. They don’t want to be underemployed; So, they would rather be unemployed or go back to school. But, in my opinion, that is nonsense. Think about where you would like to be (in regards to your career) in 1 year. In 5 years? Start sculpting your resume to get you those jobs. To do so, look for jobs that interest you that will also develop your skills and knowledge. This may mean you are underemployed today, but it should help you get to where you want to be down the road. And what will that make you? Rightly employed :)
Q. I got a Liberal Arts degree! Now what?
A. A typical joke about liberal arts degrees will quickly tie the degree into arts and crafts. With that assumption, you will have a tough time getting any job! But the truth of the matter is this: a liberal arts student takes a wide breadth of courses on different topics: philosophy, psychology, anthropology, government and politics, etc. All of these courses teach you how to analyze a problem or a situation and come up with a solution. A lot of companies know this (mine included) and have no qualms hiring a liberal arts student for a business related role. They do expect you to have a certain level of aptitude, though, because they will have to train you a little more so than someone who went to school with that major. In practice, not by much, though. For a technical job like engineering this won’t be the case, but don’t write yourself off just because you got a liberal arts degree!
Q. How can I find a job that utilizes my strengths while also aligning with my personal interests?
A. What you want to do, in this case, is look for themes throughout your past. You can do this by writing down all the elements of your life. Even if that lemonade stand you started when you were 6 seems irrelevant, write it down. Why? If you put that in conjunction with the leaf raking business you started at 12, the painting company you operated during college, the web site development company you started right after college, and the craft business you started a few months ago – you will come to a theme of entrepreneurship. As a kid your entrepreneurship was geared towards more trivial things. As you got older it developed into larger scale things. But, regardless of the industry, you have shown a knack for entrepreneurship. If you truly want a job that aligns with your strengths, look for something entrepreneurial in nature to co-exist with your personal endeavors. To make sure it aligns with your personal interests, well… that one is for you to figure out!
Please realize that it doesn’t have to be a theme as obvious as the example above, though. If you have always enjoyed being the friend everyone can open up to and tell their problems to, do you think being a guidance counselor or psychiatrist is in your cards? Perhaps!
Other Tips
On Interviewing: There are plenty of tips out there on how to perform great on your interview, so I just wanted to point out some of the top interview blunders I have seen. Don’t commit these and you should increase your chances of surviving the first round of interviews!
On getting a job with the Fed: The federal government offers a lot of jobs across the countries. If you have ever wondered how to get a federal job, here is a good place to start! And you can’t beat the benefits.
On getting a job with a misdemeanor: Mistakes happen in college. Whether you got a misdemeanor in college for something as silly as drunk in public or as serious as a DUI/DWI, you can still get a job with a misdemeanor. It may be more difficult, but I go over a few ways to help you in the process.
On networking: There are a TON of social networking sites out there with Myspace, Facebook, and Linkein being the main players. I go over a short history of each site and see if you are using your choice of networking effectively.
On salary expectations: You may have to settle for less in this job market, but it is always good to know how much your job title gets paid at the company you are interviewing with. GlassDoor is a great tool to help in figuring out your expected pay range.
On choosing your career: Don’t let your student loans dictate your career. What do I mean, you ask? Many people decide to trade job satisfaction for salary because of the amount of debt they incurred. I would advise against doing this. Having money means nothing if you are miserable. If you are still in school, I suggest you try to graduate without debt.
Twittersphere Advice
A lot of my Twitter followers (follow me!) had some great advice to give to any recent graduates looking for a job.They are great people to follow, so I would recommend doing so. When you get to their twitter profile… you should also check out all of their respective websites!
@Matt_SF Network w/ as many headhunters on job sites (e.g. Monster) as possible. They’re free, have lots of contacts, & know who’s hiring.
@stretchydollar how about for almost recent grads….? http://tinyurl.com/klmqqe
@prosperousfool In this economy, more co.’s start offering internships before seriously considering offering a long-term position.
@ManVsDebt Take a year off and travel. Open horizons, experiment with weird ideas. Ensure you are doing what you love first!
@prosperousfool Places hiring without some sort recruitment/interview processes are usually places you don’t want to work in.
@prosperousfool And beware of any scams preying on desperate job-hunters.
@The_Weakonomist pray, beg, cry, then blame your university’s crappy career services department. [Haha, This has a lot of truth to it!]
@doctor_s browse craigslist every morning at 7 am b4 all the other job seekers do. Network ur face off.
@doctor_s find urself a job that u think u are overqualified for, land that job 4 some income stream, and keep searchin for the job u want
@doctor_s and finally apply to everything under the sun that is interesting on the job sites and email ur resume to everyone, including me!
@MoneyEnergy Make sure you make the most of your university’s career services center. Usually can use it only up to 2yrs after you graduate.
@ObliviousInvest Volunteer 1 day/week somewhere where you’ll meet people in your field.
@MattJabs yeah… screw the norm, pursue what you are passionate about & no one can stop you from attaining a job & being successful
@creditgoddess Pick the company you want to work for, look up the supervisor/mgr in LinkedIn & then call them to discuss an internship
@creditgoddess Showing initiative & want to work for the company can go a long way. Negotiate a 3-6 month trial w/ potential for full time hire.
GOOD LUCK
Good luck job hunting and I wish you the best.
I have been through the job hunt quite a few times and even interviewed people in one of my roles (as outlined in my post above with the top interview blunders). If you have questions, please feel free to contact me!
I'm MLR. After graduating from college debt free, I decided to write a blog encouraging people to adapt responsible and sensible personal finance rules.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:46 am |
A post I can seriously relate to! I’ve spent this summer job hunting for a teaching position. It’s been rough out there, and I’ve been on way more interviews than I’d like to admit (partially due tho the fact that some districts have up to 5 rounds of interviews!).
Here’s one tip that I wouldn’t have thought of before starting this search. Thank everyone – and by everyone I mean even the people who reject you!! Send them thank you letters for taking the time to meet with you, and thank them for their consideration. This will do two things. First, you can tell them that if any openings arise in their company in the future to keep you in mind (desrcibe again why you are so interested in their company). Second – they know people! Three interviews that I had this summer were the result of someone who did not end up hiring me recommending me to a colleague.
HerLifeROI´s last blog ..Advice for a Recent Graduate Looking for a Job
[Reply]
MyLifeROI Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:38 pm |
@HerLifeROI,
I just want to highlight one sentence in case someone doesn’t get to the end:
Three interviews that I had this summer were the result of someone who did not end up hiring me recommending me to a colleague.
That’s networking, people!
[Reply]
July 16th, 2009 at 1:35 pm |
My advice is to network. Contact all your old bosses you had an internships in college. Let family friends know you are looking for a job. Make sure you specify the field though. It helps people know what to focus on.
AJ´s last blog ..Why I considered getting a PhD…
[Reply]
MyLifeROI Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:39 pm |
@AJ,
Definitely. Network, network, network! And then? Network some more!
Can’t stress that enough!
[Reply]
July 16th, 2009 at 5:59 pm |
Wish I had this article about a decade ago when I was starting out. Could have saved myself a bunch of time and headaches.
And as always, thanks for the mention.
Matt SF´s last blog ..Beware Greenwashing Advertisements When Buying a New Home
[Reply]
July 16th, 2009 at 6:00 pm |
I can only speak from experience! Great list!
The Weakonomist´s last blog ..Expensive Beers Selling Better Than Cheaper Beers. Huh?
[Reply]
July 16th, 2009 at 11:02 pm |
Gotta agree with you on the liberal arts comment. I’m a recent grad with an economics degree, but went to a liberal arts college. It’s actually been a huge selling point for me with some of the investment and consulting firms I’ve spoken with.
[Reply]
MyLifeROI Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:40 pm |
@Brian,
Just curious, Brian, can you go into a little more detail? What are they looking for? How are you selling the liberal arts degree? Pretty much how I did in the article?
[Reply]
Brian Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:52 pm |
@MyLifeROI,
Pretty much. I basically talk about my economics courses, but tend to really build up my international political science specialties. That, along with my writing courses and achievements in that area, show them that I have a wide range of skills to use for them, especially when it comes to research international firms and markets. I also try to emphasize the computer skills I was able to pick up: access, oracle etc etc.
[Reply]
July 17th, 2009 at 12:04 am |
Yes, this is good information! As a recent grad… 1/2 to 3/4 time the last two years, I am having a hard time finding a job. I live in a small town where jobs in my field (horticulture) don’t have full or part time employees year round. I’ve gone to nearby towns 20-30 miles away and even the state’s largest city with no luck. All of them said, “We’re not hiring due to the economy this year.” I still give them my resume just in case. I’ve even gone to Walmart and they aren’t hiring either for any department. The only places that are hiring here are trucking companies and McDonald’s. I’ve been working on my blog, mystery shopping, auditing, and merchandising full time to make up for lack of a “real” job.
Kristin´s last blog ..Say Goodbye to Commercial Shampoo
[Reply]
MyLifeROI Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:41 pm |
@Kristin,
Is it a regional thing? As in, could you move further than 30 miles away and find a job? Or is it an industry thing?
So many industries are being hit hard. I know my company had an unofficial hiring and pay freeze for 6 months.
Pretty rough time to be looking for work, I wish you luck!
[Reply]
Kristin Reply:
July 20th, 2009 at 1:14 pm |
@MyLifeROI, My degree is in horticulture (plants, landscaping, etc.). I was told by some in the industry that if I wanted year round work I had to move to a big city or the East coast – I’m in Iowa where work is very seasonal. I have thought about moving, but have a husband and a house. I’m not quitting the search though!
Kristin´s last blog ..Don’t Throw Those Bananas Away!
[Reply]
July 17th, 2009 at 11:26 am |
If debt free then enjoy yourself a little bit and see the world. You worked hard for four years and you probably spent your weekends/summer time working to ensure you aren’t in debt. For this you deserve to reward yourself.
If in debt then your first priority should be to aggressively tackle this debt. Live at home, take the bus to work, and just make sure you pay off that debt before you start a family.
[Reply]
MyLifeROI Reply:
July 19th, 2009 at 9:43 pm |
@Studenomics,
Definitely agreed!
My current employer actually really liked the fact that I bicycled across Europe and went to different countries. They said it showed courage to just jump head first into other cultures and whatnot.
You can sell anything, so don’t worry that a company will think your a floozy ;)!
[Reply]
July 17th, 2009 at 1:00 pm |
Great post MLR! I’ve already linked a lot of my recently graduated friends to this article! Another great resource for recent grads (and current students) is the Office Live Student Facebook Page. It has links to student-focused articles on resume writing, interviewing, career planning, and networking. Now more than ever, it’s very important to put your best foot forward when trying to get a job, internship, or even volunteering position; this site has a lot of pertinent information to beat out the competition:
http://www.facebook.com/officelivestudent#/officelivestudent?v=app_7146470109&viewas=7300773
Cheers,
Kate (English major!)
MSFT Office Live Outreach Team
[Reply]
June 26th, 2010 at 6:19 am |
There is a whole lot of cool information here. I like the way you seem to have taking sometime to think about this. Really kind of you to share.
[Reply]