Graduating Soon? The Secret to Getting the Job You Want

It’s bittersweet. You are about to graduate from college (yay!) but you are losing your mind because you don’t have a job lined up yet. Yea, I know. It’s scary. Take a breath. I have some good news for you.

You are going to find a job if you want one.

Now finding the job you want at a salary you need may be a little more challenging. Over the years I have hired hundreds of people. While there is ton of good advice out there on common sense stuff (e.g., be on time, dress the part, don’t have typos on you resume, etc), there isn’t a whole lot of what separates the average from the exceptional candidate in the great race for that first job. Here’s a few tips to give you an edge over the herd.

Tip 1: Talk…with everyone

If you are reading this, then you have a LinkedIn profile. Good start. Now start reaching out to people. Not just on LinkedIn, but everywhere. Most professional jobs are found through friends of friends (i.e., acquaintances), so start talking to everyone and anyone connected to your vocation of choice. If Uncle Fred has a buddy that is in expert in an adjacent area of interest then give him a ring. Interested in the hotel business…stopped in and talk with the general manager. And go big. Presidents and owners are human beings, and someone gave them a chance. You might be surprised how many might give you a chance, you if just call them or get time on their schedule.

Tip 2: Don’t Wait for It

Now I am a believer in getting paid for work. However, if you are really interested in a career then an internship…even one that is lowly paid (or *gulp* free for a short period of time) is an investment. No book can adequately teach you how to do something. Want to be a photographer? Go take pictures. Want to do research? Do some pro-bono work for the Kiwanis club. Don’t wait for opportunity to come to you…make it happen.

Tip 3: Be Fearless

You don’t know it yet, but you have the world by the cajones. Sure, you probably have student debt and have to rifle through couch cushions to get enough cash for that Dominos meat lovers pizza, but your overhead is probably pretty low and your health is probably good. Don’t be timid in what you go after. Always wanted to be a tour guide in the Montana wilderness?…go do that for a while. Thought about starting a non-profit to help abused parakeets? Go for it. The time is now to learn. Go and try stuff out, because once you have ‘responsibilities’ it becomes much more difficult to be a free agent Ronin.

Tip 4: Don’t be Reckless

So that Fearless thing I just talked about. Yea it’s true, but don’t get carried away. Don’t make mistakes that you can’t recover from. These include: making stupid large investments, doubling down on something that is clearly not working, being overly impulsive in decision making, getting an idiotic tattoo, or doing something that can permanently screw up your life (e.g., health or incarceration). You will likely be on this planet for 78+ years, so yea…be fearless…just don’t be stupid and do permanent harm to yourself or others.

Tip 4: Be Persistent

Want that job? Then call. Stop by. Email. Follow up. Don’t let up. Be a pain the ass. If you are feeling like you are approaching stalker status, then you are getting close to where you need to be. I always admired people who really went after an opportunity with focus. While occasionally I would be annoyed by the calls, there is a lot to be said for conviction. Except for you Seth. Seriously, stop calling. We aren’t hiring now.

Tip 5: Be Patient

Here's the hard truth. You are not going to be VP next year. You are very unlikely to be a successful entrepreneur in your first 3 endeavors. You are going to have to wait for that luxury car and that sweet pontoon boat. The sad truth about success is it takes hard work. Failure is what everyone forgot about except the person who became the success. Even Colonel Sanders had a lifetime of screwups until he happened upon that sweet delicious fried chicken late in life. Don’t get disgruntled. Get back up and get after it…just know it will probably take a while and you will earn some scars along the way.

Tip 6: Be Humble

No one likes a braggart, especially hiring managers. Be confident in what you think. Be honest about what you did. Describe what you did in factual terms as well as the outcomes. However, error on the side of ambitious about what you can do. In the interview for my first real job the hiring manager ask if I knew a programming language…I told him I did…but my interpretation of “knowing” was fairly aspirational, as I knew the fundamentals but was in no way an expert. When I landed the job, I found some manuals and just started doing it.

Tip 7: Be Prepared

Before you go to an interview read up about the company and read up on the people with whom you are interviewing.  With all the data out there, you should be able to figure out the hiring manager’s favorite ice cream flavor and the last time she bought Girl Scout cookies. Do your homework. Know what the company does. Know about the people with whom you are interviewing. Ask good informed questions. Show that you have grasp of the business and what they may be struggling with. 

Tip 8: Be Memorable

No one hired a forgettable candidate. One gal I hired back in the day mistakenly took her resume with her after an interview with me. She returned it later in the day red in the face and apologized profusely. She was so gracious in her apology, it stuck with me and we hired her. It was a minor gaffe, but the way she handled it was memorable. Now, I am not suggesting screw up or do magic tricks during your interview, but if you can figure out some way to differentiate yourself from everyone else in an appropriate way then do it.

Tip 9: Be You

Most competent managers have fairly well tuned bullshit detectors. Be genuine. Speak professionally but don’t be afraid to show your personality. The more personal you become the more likely you can establish a rapport as a human being vs. a ‘candidate’. It’s kind like a short-term Stockholm syndrome…if they don’t see you as number but someone who is genuine and direct, but still professional you have a good shot. If you are feeling like you can’t be you in an interview at a company, it probably is not the company for you.

Tip 10: Pay it Forward

You are going to rock it. Not all of you, just the people ambitious enough to make it to my last tip. Some day you are going to be the person calling the shots. Look back on your current today and remember it. When some gal and guy like you shows up (or better yet, unlike you), maybe give them a chance. Many folks gave me chances. I try to pay it forward every single day.

Have an addition or want to call bullshit? Let me know by posting a response.