Changing Jobs For the First Time after College? Here is my advice for you!

In the first years after college, work can be daunting. Everything is new and at least for me, it felt like I was completely unprepared for the real world. Regardless of whether you are 2 years out of college or 30, finding a new job or looking to switch can be extremely intimidating. I’ve faced this conundrum myself. There is no bright neon arrow showing the way.

???????????I’ve recently spoken to several friends who incidentally are all looking for new jobs. From marketing to ESG, I have aimed to support friends as best I can given how I handled it myself a year ago. From an entry-level point of view, I have a few suggestions for anyone out there that is looking to change things up.

1.????Hold Yourself Accountable to a Schedule

Starting off with perhaps the hardest of the suggestions but holding yourself personally responsible for the effort you will put into the search is the most important. ?For me, this was planning a specific time during the week that I was dedicated to my job search. In my first job, I was working 35-40 hours a week. I consider myself lucky that I had a little bit of flexibility in how many hours I was working. But I set aside 2, 3, or 4 hours each day that I would come back from work and sit in my room, headphones in, and just grind.?It was EXHAUSTING. This method pushed me to my breaking point. But it also took me 6 months of doing this until I found a new job. Whether you can only dedicate an hour a day or a week, you should be holding yourself accountable for your future by dedicating time.

2.????Analyze Your Needs, Wants, and Skills

Before you even start looking, it’s important to gauge what are you are really looking for. Is it higher pay? A new industry? A more supportive manager? You should then weigh these by needs vs. wants. Do you need to stay in a certain location, or can you move? Would you prefer a certain pay grade or are you comfortable with a decrease at the offset of moving to a different industry? Asking these questions can also help you to identify what type of job you are looking for and how you will approach your search.

Another element is evaluating your skillset. What are your current skills? What skills may you need to improve? What have you excelled at in your current position? What skills do you want to develop in a new position? Identifying current skills can also help to illuminate what careers and positions you want to take a closer look at. Disclaimer though… even if you don’t have all the skills required or wanted on a job description you should still apply!!! This is especially important for women. Most people must have heard of the statistic that men will apply if they meet the criteria at 60%. But women won’t apply if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria. Don’t underestimate yourself or the strengths you can bring to a position, even if they aren’t explicitly stated.

3.????Your Resume is Not the Most Important Asset in Your Application

You may be worrying about if your resume has enough experience to validate a job search. Even if you have only been working for 6 months or a year and half. Finding a new position is not only based on your resume submission. Part of the action I took to find a new job was not just applying and submitting applications. It was a mixture of a few things:

• Network and connect with people who have the job you want.

I spoke with probably at least 25 people who were in consulting and or change management to understand their jobs, skills, and career growth. This helped me to map my career and understand what it would take to find a job in that industry

• Training and Certifications

After chatting with a Change Management expert, they recommended I investigate the Prosci certification if I was serious about getting into the industry. This certification is world-renowned and highly sought after. Although it took a dent out of my bank account, I have most definitely seen the return of value after I worked towards it. Not only did it set me apart from other entry-level applicants, it helped me to understand the direction I was going in. I also took free learnings and certifications that are offered online. Another great resource is LinkedIn Learning where you can pay for courses individually or unlimited for $40 a month. These courses gave me fodder to discuss in interviews and networking conversations. I taught myself about the industry so that I wasn’t walking into a new job with my eyes closed.

• This!

At the recommendation of another connect, I started writing blog post about the things I was learning. It has allowed me to connect with more people, express ideas, and grow as a writer. It pushes me to digest content from news articles, research, or podcast and apply it to my experience and share it with others. However, I have found my passion in writing. It may be something different for you. Regardless, it should be something you are passionate about and that will fuel you in your career. It could be mentoring, speaking commitments, TikTok (look at Corporate Natalie), podcasts, events, or a photo blog. I have always been passionate about diversity and women in business. After college, I didn’t quite know how to continue to work in that space without a student group to hold up. But writing has given me that outlet.

Now I am not trying to scare anyone that job searching is going to beat you down. I’ve had friends who have also had one interview and gotten a job. But most likely than not, job searching is onerous. Taking on the above suggestions will help you become prepared to face the job search terrain.

As always, please feel welcome to connect or message me. I am more than happy to offer further advice, hop on a phone call, or review resumes. (god knows how many of those I have seen)