pink_sugar Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I just graduated, although I have a few summer school courses to complete. What is your best advice to a new college graduate? Thankfully, I have nearly 2 years of experience I can apply with my degree and I am out looking for a better job. My job doesn't even pay my rent, so I need something better asap. I hear the first year of graduating is critical so you have something to show for yourself. Link to post Share on other sites
will1988 Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I would start applying for jobs yesterday! Also, if your resume seems a little flat or antiquated you may need to make some adjustments to that and liven it up, but not too much. There are 10s of thousands of newly recent college graduates who are trying to compete for the same jobs, as well as not so recent grads. So you have to try to set yourself apart from the pack. Use your experiance a lot too. I find that in certain work places you need the degree more or less as a title or something, but in reality it is your prior career experience that really lands you the job. The degree is just the thing to open the door, the experience will get you through the door. So rely a lot on that. Also be patient. Unless you make an amzing connection with a particular HR rep at a firm, you will not hear from people for a few days up to a few months. So just saturate the market with your application / resume. Also, connections help too. If you know someone who can pull some strings somewhere there is no shame in asking them to help! good luck! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Arabella Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 My first question is, why did you wait to graduate to apply for jobs? Especially since you have experience! A lot of employers will start looking at you seriously once you're a senior. I got hired full-time a year before I was out of school... so I did both Also, what's the type of degree (AA, BS, etc) and major? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
will1988 Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 My first question is, why did you wait to graduate to apply for jobs? Especially since you have experience! A lot of employers will start looking at you seriously once you're a senior. I got hired full-time a year before I was out of school... so I did both Also, what's the type of degree (AA, BS, etc) and major? Hell I got hired in to a program where they train me and make me do the same work as everyone else, with mediocre pay, and same job stability as everyone else... to train me for a career with this organization after i gradaute. it is a student/ career experiance thing. Although, I've been working on my damned degree for closing in on 7 years now... I can't complain though. Once I graduate I will be doing literally the same exact job as i am doing now but with several step pay raise. Plus, I can't complain because out of most of my friends, all have degrees, most have masters, i am one out of my group with a really good job. Enough about me. Any more questions op? Link to post Share on other sites
Author pink_sugar Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 My first question is, why did you wait to graduate to apply for jobs? Especially since you have experience! A lot of employers will start looking at you seriously once you're a senior. I got hired full-time a year before I was out of school... so I did both Also, what's the type of degree (AA, BS, etc) and major? Oh, I have actually been applying for jobs off and on for the last several months. The ones requiring a degree I wasn't sure if I should wait until I actually complete school or just apply to them anyways to see what they have to say. I'm really serious about applying now and I have 2 months to go until I am finished. BS in Business Management Link to post Share on other sites
Arabella Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 Do you have a concentration in something? The good news about a BS in Business Administration/Management is that it is wonderfully versatile! The bad news is that it's perfectly useless without a distinctive edge of some kind What else are you good at? For example, if you have a technical background, highlight those skills and apply to positions where they would be valued. You mentioned you already have experience, so you can also showcase the skills learned in those positions to come up with something that makes you unique. The most important thing is to apply to roles where your skills can be used, though. For example, it doesn't matter if you have a basic knowledge of risk management when you're applying to a role in a Fortune 500 company with a full fleet of risk management advisors with tons of experience. Such a skill might be better suited to a small start-up, in which a person may be expected to have a wide array of skills. Or perhaps a role where a knowledge of risk management will be beneficial (ie business analyst). Also, don't forget to make profiles on Monster and LinkedIn, and keep them well updated. This is how I got my last two permanent, full-time roles. One I was head-hunted because someone saw my profile on LinkedIn, and another, an in-house recruiter pulled up my resume on Monster and gave me a call. Good luck! -A Link to post Share on other sites
Author pink_sugar Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 No concentration, but I have two years of online marketing experience, so I am pursuing that direction at a higher level. I am looking into a Marketing Analyst position or something similar of the sort. I've often used craigslist, but I think Linkedin is more reputable and reliable. I have done Monster in the past and a lot of times I'd get calls for some really low paying sales jobs. I will check it out again though. Link to post Share on other sites
Ladydrib Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I just graduated, although I have a few summer school courses to complete. What is your best advice to a new college graduate? Thankfully, I have nearly 2 years of experience I can apply with my degree and I am out looking for a better job. My job doesn't even pay my rent, so I need something better asap. I hear the first year of graduating is critical so you have something to show for yourself. Tips for a new graduate: • be VERY patient. Looking for a job, especially in this market can be very discouraging and can start to make you feel inadequate. It takes time and you may get rejected or ignored a lot.(not because you're a new grad - but because that's the nature of job hunting) You need to push through it and realize it is not a reflection of your capabilities or intelligence. Just keep trying and change up your approach/strategy if you don't start getting interviews/offers. • don't get desperate. Given what I mentioned above, if you go through several months without an interview/offer you might quickly jump on the first offer you get. Before you go through the process of job hunting, set your expectations. How much money is reasonable for what you do? How much money do you expect? What kind of personalities do you want to work with? When you're being interviewed you should also think of it as though you are interviewing the company. Anyway, if you get an offer for a job that doesn't meet your expectation and that you're not excited about - do not take it! A job is a commitment. You do not want to get into it unless it is what you are looking for. • interview. Interview. Interview. The more you do it, the better you'll get at it. Allow yourself to mess up. Just keep going. Before your interviews, visualize what your first steps would be if you started that job today. Think about how you could add value to the company in that position and visualize goal you might want to achieve to make that happen. Put your mind in the job before you go on the interview. This will help you sell yourself tremendously. Talk about your ideas. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
TheFinalWord Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I just graduated, although I have a few summer school courses to complete. What is your best advice to a new college graduate? Thankfully, I have nearly 2 years of experience I can apply with my degree and I am out looking for a better job. My job doesn't even pay my rent, so I need something better asap. I hear the first year of graduating is critical so you have something to show for yourself. Are you willing to move? Link to post Share on other sites
Author pink_sugar Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 Are you willing to move? I might be, depending on the location and the salary offer. Since my husband would be moving with me and leaving his job and would have to find another, it would need to pay enough to temporarily make up for this. Link to post Share on other sites
TheFinalWord Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 (edited) I might be, depending on the location and the salary offer. Since my husband would be moving with me and leaving his job and would have to find another, it would need to pay enough to temporarily make up for this. Okay, than that may not be the optimal route for you. Well, some staples are: 1) Create your resume 2) Create an e-portfolio 3) Create business cards, with a web link to your resume 4) Join professional networks; often they will have internal job postings. You said you were into marketing. AMA is a great network: http://www.marketingpower.com/Pages/default.aspx Oh, just found their listing: http://jobs.marketingpower.com/home/index.cfm?site_id=14810 Honestly, every good job I have gotten, has been initiated through social networking. If you can, I would put your feelers out there. Also, go to conferences, trade shows, and job fairs. Another, albeit oldschool, method is to "hit the pavement". Basically, just walk in the front door of an organization you are interested in and ask to speak to the manager. When he/she arrives, introduce yourself, let them know you are available for any openings, and hand them a copy of your resume and business card. Hope that helps! Good luck Edited June 22, 2013 by TheFinalWord added link 3 Link to post Share on other sites
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