5 (old school) Steps To A Dream Job

Are you a recent college graduate looking for a job, or do you know such a person?

Here is a simple, five-step process to turn the average recent grad into a stand-out candidate. It will also help you find the perfect overlap between the things you love, and the applicability of your degree.

Without regard to what you’ve studied, make a list of things you love, then prioritize the list, arriving at the top three. For this example, let’s say you love playing the guitar and it’s your number one love. Do the following for the number one love, and then possibly number two and number three.

Step One:

Identify 5 product categories related to the thing you love. For our guitar lover these categories could be:

1. Guitar Makers
2. Amplifier manufacturers
3. Guitar pedal and effects manufacturers
4. Musical instrument retailers
5. Guitar cable manufacturers

Step Two:

Identify 5 companies in each of the product categories and research as much as you can about each company.

Step Three:

Using company websites, Linkedin, Facebook and other Internet research, figure out who the key players are in these companies, focusing on the people who might have a need for your skills and education. For example, if our guitar lover has a degree in accounting, then the company CFO or Director of Finance would be a good place to start.

If you’re coming up empty on the Internet, pick up the phone and call the company. Receptionists know a lot, and in most cases they are happy to help a polite and articulate caller with a question such as, “Hi, I’m a recent college graduate interested in learning more about finance jobs at your company. Can you tell me the name of the CFO or Director of Finance?”

Step Four:

Once you have identified five categories, five companies in each category and one or two people in each company to reach out to, do this…

Write letters. That’s right, write them a letter on a piece of paper, in an envelope, sent through the mail, with a stamp. Yes, I am aware it is 2022, but think about this. These people for whom you’d love to work, get hundreds of emails a day, but almost no postal mail. You should at this point have 25-35 people to whom you can write.

Your letter should be short (1 page), identifying yourself as a curious recent grad who has a passion for what company XYZ does. Use 1-2 sentences to make a personal connection to the company, like how you use the product, or referring to a relevant piece of recent industry news.

DO NOT SEND YOUR RESUME!

You’re not applying for a job, you’re opening a dialogue. The ask here is for 15 minutes of their time so you can improve your knowledge of the company and the industry. Appeal to their ego a little, but don't over-do it. Include your email, phone number, Linkedin id and, let them know you may ask to connect with them on Linkedin. Every time you send a letter, go to the individual’s LinkedIn profile and “follow” them. They will likely be notified that you visited their profile and or followed them. Then, when they get your letter, your name will seem familiar.

Feel free to include something personal that’s related, like a picture of your guitar pedal board, or a link to a video of you playing.

Ten days after sending the letter, if you haven’t heard from the person, follow up with a phone call. If they don’t answer, don’t leave a voicemail, try again in a few days. Don't badger, but be consistent. If you have their email, you can wrap up your inquiry with an email, making sure to recognize you know they are busy, and that you'd love to connect on Linkedin. Send the connection request then leave it alone.

Step Five:

REALITY CHECK - Most of these letters will not result in an opportunity, in fact fewer than half will result in any kind of response. However, one or two might, and when this process works it results in a job, doing what you’ve studied, in an industry for which you have passion. Often, months later you'll hear from one of the people you reached out to when they have a need.

Uploading your resume to online job postings is an ineffective, demoralizing, waste of time. Buy some stamps, do your homework and make some human connections. Before you know it you’ll be starting the job of your dreams.