Job Hunting Tips for Recent Grads

It's nearing graduation time for most colleges, which means a number of new grads will head out, ready to join the workforce. But, as some recent grads have learned, getting a job might be harder than they expected. Many get caught in the "need experience to get experience" loop, and some, especially those who went to school for a career change, are finding themselves in an "overqualified, under-experienced" loop. Neither of these are any fun.

Believe it or not, though, there are jobs out there. A look on Monster.com or Indeed.com or any other job search site will show that people are hiring. The trick, however, is to find the right companies and talk them into hiring you. How? As a quasi-recent grad (June 2008) myself, and one who was successful in finding a job in my study of choice, I'm going to offer a few tips. Remember, though, it's up to you to do the legwork.

1. Find positions that suit your level of experience. As a new graduate, you may or may not have a lot of experience in your field of choice, or a related field, depending on the opportunities you had before and/or during school. If you don't have any previous work experience, your goal is easy -- entry level. If you changed careers and your former career is even remotely related, you might be able to find something higher level than entry, but your task will probably be a little more challenging, since you have to find that balance between "overqualified" and "underexperienced."

One person mentioned that her previous experience as a manager was keeping her from entry level positions, but since it wasn't recent, she couldn't get management positions. She is, essentially, stuck in job limbo. This person might want to consider finding something in between. Perhaps a sub-management "supervisor" level position.

2. Don't discount your schoolwork or side projects when considering experience. Many places, especially those that consider entry level people, will count schoolwork, especially those that utilize real-world applications, as at least some experience. Lead your Senior Project team? Great! Use it to help demonstrate you leadership skills (especially if you got a good grade on it).

If you held a job while in school, did you do side projects there? Many work-study or co-op employers that specifically hire college students will often encourage employees to do side projects if the resources/need are available, but you, the employee, usually has to ask. If you did, use that on your resume and in your job interviews. Not only does that show that you go above and beyond the call of duty, but also shows that you have professional experience with it.

Also, did you do any kind of volunteering? That's an awesome way to impress prospective employers. Again, it not only shows that you're willing to go above and beyond (especially if you're juggling it, a paying job, and school), but shows that you're willing to improve yourself and help others even without monetary incentive. My work here at ProU impressed the HR person for one of companies that I interviewed for enough that I got a job offer. If you're volunteering at a place like ProU (or other web-based institution), though, make sure that you make a point to mention that it's an actual organization and not just some random dotcom.

3. Find out how much you're worth and set pay goals. Straight out of college with no experience, you can't expect to see a $50,000 salary offer, but neither do you have to settle with $25,000 if your skillset and experience deserve more. Monster.com has a number of tools that you can use to determine what a fair salary request is. Also, set a range and make it clear that it's negotiable. If you come off as wanting too much and not willing to budge, you could turn off some fantastic employers. On the other hand, if you set your sights too low, you might not get paid a fair rate. Determining a range also helps to account for economic differences in both geographical areas and times.

4. Determine what non-salary benefits you want or need. Just because you're getting paid $30,000 a year, it doesn't mean you're only costing the company $30,000 a year. The company pays for a number of costs for you, including things like health insurance, retirement funds, and paid time off, as well as a number of other perks that aren't included. The company I currently work for offers free soda, coffee, and tea all the time and holds events several times a week for which food is ordered. I even interviewed for a company that had a Starbucks in their cafeteria and had a gym!

While these things might not make or break a deal if there's only one company on the table, it might tip the scales if there are multiple offers. Keep in mind, too, that little perks like free coffee help show the company's view of their employees.

5. If you can, be flexible in working location. Let's face it, not every area is suitable for jobs in your particular field (or in some cases, not suitable for jobs at all). Just being out of college might be the perfect time to relocate, especially if the prospective employer is willing to help. Don't forget to take moving costs and cost of living in the destination area into consideration, though, you don't want to get caught with unexpected bills.

Determine how far you'd want to move, or how far you'd be willing to drive, and see what's in that area. You'd be surprised how many places are actually around you.

6. Make use of your school's job placement, but don't try to make them do all the work. One of the issues I saw in people's comments about the school I went to was that the school did little to help people get a job. My experience was quite the opposite, though, and I think it was because those people who were disappointed were expecting the school to hand them a job offer. Sorry, but it doesn't work that way.

Your school's job placement service, however, can be quite useful. Many will help you refine your resume, practice interviewing, and offer targetted job search tools. My school, for example, had its own job board, where employers could post when looking specifically for college graduates. You're still going to have to do the legwork, though, and send out resumes and applications.

7. Don't stop learning. You might be out of college, but that doesn't mean you have to, or even can, stop learning. If you can afford it, continue to seek out certifications. This is especially true if you're in a tech field, where things change all the time. This shows that you're willing to continue learning and refining your craft. If you're goal is to work with people (especially young kids or the elderly), consider getting First Aid certified. That certification could not only mean the difference between getting or not getting a job, but also life and death (I recommend anyone to at least learn First Aid, but especially get certified, you never know what might happen).

8. Make sure you can back up anything you put on your resume One of the worst things you can do is fudge your resume. Not only can that cost you your job and your reputation if it's revealed that you lied on your resume (yes, even after you get the job), but it can also make you look bad in multiple ways at an interview.

Most people will go through your resume with what seems like a fine-toothed comb and ask you questions about it. Be prepared to have some short story or explanation for everything that's there. Also, don't forget to have explanations for things that aren't there, such as gaps in employment.

If you put on your resume that you are skilled in SQL (a database language, for the non-tech people reading this), then be prepared to demonstrate your ability to work with databases. If you say you have good conflict resolution skills, be prepared to resolve a hypothetical conflict.

9. Don't be afraid of employment gaps. This is especially the case if you're a younger student. Most employers don't care about the little side jobs that you had while in school, especially if they were only a couple months each. Sometimes, you can even lump those together into some sort of "group" entry on the "jobs" section of your resume. You also don't have to necessarily put all your jobs on your resume, particularly if they aren't relevant at all to your job search, or if it's been several years since you were last employed there. If you weren't employed for a length of time, be honest about it on your resume. If they ask, be simple and honest. If you took time off for school or for kids, or just because you were having trouble finding a job, just say it. Most people will understand, especially in an economy like this.

10. Don't forget about accomplishments while in school. Were in you IEEE? Recognized in Who's Who? Got good grades? Include them! They show that you're committed to your work and you strive for excellence.

11. When giving numbers (such as grades) include the scale. This is a little thing that can make a huge difference in how someone perceives you. Perhaps your school used a 4.0 GPA scale, but the person reading your resume is used to a 5.0 GPA scale. So, while you may have gotten a 4.0/4.0, if you just put 4.0, the reader might not think it's a big deal, but if you include the scale, it gives the number a lot more meaning.