College Graduates - 10 things you can do to find your first job in the "New Realization"

Congratulations you did it or you are about to graduate from college! You worked hard for that degree, studied long hours, co-supported your degree financially, self-funded your degree, your parents or someone else funded your education or you had a full or partial scholarship. You had interned at a company for one summer or several and you had a job offer and a start date after graduation.

COVID-19 had other plans for you and your college degree. 30 Million filing for unemployment competing with you for every and any job. Your job offer was deferred, rescinded, interviews cancelled or your dream company and job may have been in a non-essential industry that couldn't survive virtually.

You are smart, goal-driven, deserving of that first job and this is unfair to you, your family and to the companies that wanted to hire you. You have an opportunity to change your direction in life. You can give up and blame everything on COVID-19 or take a deep breath and reflect on your dreams, ambitions of success and visualize what you really want today and tomorrow.

Given the competitive landscape for jobs today, you will need to work harder than you ever have before. The time and effort in doing so, will reap many benefits and ultimately that first job.

Your family members, their friends and peers can also benefit from the list below, so pay-it-forward as well and share with others in need of a job.

Now is the time - it's your time! Follow these 10 things to find your first job:

1. Network, Build Relationships and Ask for Favors:

• Did some of your college alumni land jobs? In the past, you didn't need to reach out and ask for help. However, today is different. Maybe your friend from college landed at a company that is still hiring or maybe your friend knows about other job openings.
• Ask your parents for introductions to their network, reach out to other family members, friends, LinkedIn connections to schedule zoom calls. You need to expand your network and start to strengthen existing relationships and build new relationships.
• You need a favor now and that favor is for help to find a job. Set a goal to speak with those you know and those you don't know each day or each week. This network of relationships will help you today and you can keep building on these relationships that you may need in the future for yourself or for someone that you know.
• It will be competitive when you see that dream job posted. This network you will build and relationships you will build and strengthen will help to open the doors to those posted jobs. Only send a resume to a blind posting where a company is not listed. Use LinkedIn and your relationships to help you connect, gain intelligence and other insights into postings with a company name. Any postings beyond 2 weeks old may be saturated with resumes or depending upon the industry may be dated, delayed or filled.

2. Stay Connected to your College Career Resource Center:

• You and/or your parents invested a lot of money towards your education. Make sure to stay in touch with your college/university career resource center to help you secure a job, help you with other coaching or tips throughout the process. Some of you have graduated and may not have leveraged these career resources and tools.

3. Follow #Hashtags on LinkedIn, Search every Job Site and more:

• If you follow hashtags aligned with your career interests, jobs and other insights those posts will appear in your feed on your LinkedIn Home Page. You can follow hashtags for your field of interest: #accountingjobs, #engineeringjobs, #entryleveljobs, #internships and many others.
• LinkedIn has also been sharing a link to a list of companies hiring: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/heres-whos-hiring-right-now-andrew-seaman/
• LinkedIn, Careerbuilder, Indeed.com and so many other job sites to search for jobs.

4. Step Back to Move Forward:

• You may search for a contract position or even an internship as a college graduate during C-19. This may not be what you envisioned, but it may be a path to your ideal job. You may be able to leverage company relationships during your contract/interim assignment or it can turn into a stepping stone role leading to your dream job. As an example, my company is hiring thousands across the globe: https://www.manpowergroup.com/job-opportunities in IT, Engineering, Customer Service, Warehouse/Distribution and many other roles.

5. Reinvent Yourself, Start your own Business:

• Maybe you were considering an industry that may not be back to "normacly" for months or even years. Did you have another role or industry of initial interest, but you decided hospitality or the airline industry was the right path during your college years?
• If you have the financial means, you can go back to school for additional education. Since you have a degree, you can also consider another industry or role, but it may be more junior or an internship. You have to think more strategically about your job and industry during C-19, after and if we return to stay-at-home mandates again. You will need to consider what jobs, companies and industries will thrive and survive. This is a great time to upskill. Think about the need for Contact Tracers today due to COVID-19. What else can you add to your knowledge base today? Any certifications in project management or in IT Security or other areas that can enhance your resume?
• Are you entrepreneurial? Maybe reconnect with some of your college alums. Set up a Zoom call and brainstorm. Can you come up with a business idea that will thrive during and after COVID-19? What services or products are needed today and/or beyond the pandemic? If you have your own savings, family support or other ways to fund a start-up, this may be the time to consider a different path.

6. Update your LinkedIn Profile and your Social Presence:

• You can attend free LinkedIn workshops online and even utilize LinkedIn Learning Online Courses across all types of subjects including everything about LinkedIn. This is for Premium Members, but maybe worthwhile to invest in a "pay-as-you-go" membership and pile up on the online classes for about $50.00-$60.00/month.
• Do you have a complete profile, do you have at least 500+ 1st level connections, recommendations, skills (50), a summary, keywords aligned with your career interests, a strong headline, head shot, background image? Back up your resume with a strong LinkedIn profile that aligns with the dates and years of each position held included on your resume. However, a LinkedIn profile is not your resume. If you served in the military, Division 1 athlete, decorated high school athlete, served on a Not-For-Profit junior board or did some volunteering, Eagle Scout, Black Belt in a martial art - share on LinkedIn!
• Facebook, Twitter and others are also an opportunity to enhance your network, promote your expertise and interests.

7. Join a Not-For-Profit, Volunteer, Pro-Bono work:

• Do you have a passion for a particular charity that focuses on children, education, autism, cancer research or maybe you can start one and support one to help those impacted by COVID-19 (financially or from a health perspective)?
• Join a charity board. You may have to start on a Junior Board, but this is another great way to build relationships with Board Members and to give back. This will not take up countless hours, but this will be life-changing depending upon how much you put into your role in a charitable organization.
• Do you have an expertise, a particular skill in technology, gaming or something else that would appeal to a company, association or some type of incubator, mentoring group, etc.? Pro-Bono may not be what you were looking for, but it can lead to a job, paid consulting role and new relationships. As well, you will be helping others.

8. Think outside of the box - you need to stand out and be creative:

• How are you following up after a Zoom interview? Can you send a letter to the recruiter or hiring manager? Will they receive it? What can you do electronically? How about a short video thank you? Maybe put more into that video "thank you" and make a real creative effort.
• Years ago when I interviewed at my current company (I was here in 1998 and returned 3 years ago). I was not a perfect fit for the role I applied to in '98. However, I thought I was and really wanted this job. I put together a "Top 10" list why they should hire me on a stronger stock of gray paper and powerful and large fonts throughout. I sent it via FedEx or UPS at the time and that helped me to standout and land my job. What are you doing to stand out?
• If you are fortunate to have an interview with a company hiring for your dream job, then how will you be their Number 1 DRAFT PICK? Would you hire you? Make it an easy hiring decision for everyone you interview with at the company!

9. Read, Read, Read:

• There are some incredible books to read today on Kindle, Audio, Paperback to Hardcover. All types of advice for your resume, LinkedIn books, interviewing techniques to networking and more. It's time to become a sponge and soak up all of the knowledge. I would like to recommend a book that I authored that has been recommended by other recent college graduates and others still in college. The NCG Factor: A Formula for Building Life Changing Relationships from College to Retirement: https://lnkd.in/dT9srZ5. My book is actionable, it has templates you can use today for your job search and helps guide you how to build relationships that will help you today and beyond COVID-19.

10. Pay-it-Forward and Go the Distance:

• If something you read in this article helped you to get a job, then pay-it-forward! Help someone else. If someone helped you to secure an interview, helped you with your resume or helped you to land a job, then pay-it-forward.
• You will learn so much from this time in your life, make it count by helping others when you can. Even when I have been in transition, I have helped others. Every week I help others in your situation, all levels in transition, coach and mentor CEO's to other executives.
• The search may be fast for some of you to find your first job and for others it will take longer. You need to stay focused and not accept rejection. You will have to be self-driven and self-motivated. There is a job out there for you, but you will have to find that job, stand out, be creative and Go the Distance!

About the Author:

Larry Kaufman is the Author of The NCG Factor: https://lnkd.in/dT9srZ5. He is a connector, giver, and rainmaker who lives his life to help others succeed. He is a Senior Level Sales & Operations Leader running the Midwest Region for Experis Finance (A Business Division of ManpowerGroup). Larry has also been a globally-published speaker and trainer on LinkedIn for more than a decade. Larry is an investor and advisor to several local Chicago based technology companies and sits on the board of Holiday Heroes, a charity that brings joy and a sense of normalcy to hospitalized children.