My Advice to Students - Start Your Search Now

Why I Care

I graduated my Master's Program without a job. I'll always reiterate that in the long run, this had zero impact on my career.

But not everything is about the long run - feelings in the present moment are still valid, even if they fade away over time. And to this day, I still remember very clearly what I felt like in the months and weeks leading up to graduation without a role secured.

I was riddled with anxiety.

I was down on myself - I couldn't help but feel like I had failed. I took out nearly six figures in debt and went to an elite business school and got good grades...how could I screw this up?

It was a shadow that loomed over me through the spring of graduation - a time for unbridled joy and celebration.

I don't want to see that happen to anybody. The memories you make towards the end of school should not be tainted by anything. So it's your responsibility to do everything in your power to make sure that doesn't happen.

What The Data Says You're Up Against

Like all other age groups, experience levels, and demographics, it is a hard market for students right now.

Recent Graduate Stats:

• The share of recent graduates who are hired in a given month is down about 40% since it's recent peak in 2021, per Gusto.
• 40% of recent college graduates are underemployed, per the Federal Reserve Bank of NY.
• Summary: Entry-level hiring has contracted significantly

MBA Program Stats:

• Every top MBA program had a dip in offer rates in 2024.
• One in five HBS MBAs were unemployed three months after graduating

This isn't just limited to MBA Programs, it extends more broadly:

41% of Masters Degree Programs fail a basic debt-to-earnings test - indicating that graduates are not earning enough to repay their students loan, per Georgetown University.

While these numbers are significant and worse than a few years ago, it's also worth noting that all of these statistics indicate that over half of students are doing fine. It's not impossible. However, the message is: a successful job search coming out of school, at any level, is no longer a guarantee.

What You Should Do About It

Masters the Informational Interview

Some people have always known what they wanted to be - a doctor, a therapist, a teacher, etc. I was not one of those people, I was one of the people who had to search and look to find something I found interesting. This made the prospect of job hunting in school daunting and overwhelming, how would I know where to look if I don't even know what I like?

If I were to do it all over again, I would have invested more in informational interviews. 20-25 minute conversations with professionals to learn what they do, why they like it, and the pros and cons of different aspects of their job. The insights after a few conversations can be enlightening:

• You may learn that you value company purpose above all, and want to work in a mission-driven startup
• You may learn that you value career development and a manager most of all, and want to work for thought-leaders in your space
• You may learn of a new field that you didn't know existed, like me with People Analytics, and find a completely new path for yourself.

Learning from the wisdom and experiences of others can help you to uncover your personal preferences, even if you've never experienced them before.

Pro Tip - Find people with similar backgrounds to you: same school and degree or same internship experience. People tend to have a bias towards people who remind them of themselves and are more likely to help you. Prepare 3-5 specific questions about their experience, not how to get a job, and nurture that relationship forward.

Create Tangible Proof of Your Capabilities

One of the most difficult things to do as a student is to separate yourself. If you submit a cold application, you are relying on your school's reputation, your GPA, and whatever experience you have to-date to make your case for you....which is hard to do.

That's why some people recommend building evidence of your skills and passion:

• For web designers, it could be a professional portfolio
• For financial analysts and traders, it could be an investment analysis or publicizing your trading history
• For analytics or computer science professionals, building out a GitHub portfolio

These are simply tools are your disposal to help prove that you have acquired and applied the skills you acquired in school. Is this process mandatory? No, but it can significantly help you to stand out.

Learn Job Search Advice From Experts

[Whispers] Just because someone is popular on TikTok or LinkedIn does not mean they know what they are talking about. Even someone having gotten a job title that you want or an offer at a company that you're excited about does not mean they know what they are talking about.

Who does? Generally, your school's Career Management Center and HR Professionals.

For Career Centers, their expertise, almost independent of their professional background, comes from access. Career Centers have regular meetings with employers to understand how their students are performing and getting advice on how to make them stand out. Employers want college career centers to help you, so they give them the answers.

For HR Professionals, it's because it is literally their job - so they know how it works. They screen the resumes, they own the Applicant Tracking System and build the rules for how candidates are communicated with and are evaluated, they train the managers on how to interview effectively, they build the interview guides based on company values or performance competencies that inform the questions that you are asked. They have seen and interacted with the process at scale, meaning they know what's actually happening.

As an example, there's this myth that ATS systems are the cause of all evil. However, all HR Technology professionals know that, on the whole, this is not true. Even if you get auto-rejected, it's more than likely because of knockout questions.

For a quick list of smart people to follow, other than me of course, I would follow Mike Peditto , Daniel Space , and Sam Struan . They are extremely credible and give loads of valuable content away for free.

Build a Consistent Process

Any job seeker knows that the process can be long and arduous, it can feel like any outcome that doesn't result in an offer is a failure. That's why I suggest focusing on a process-driven mindset rather than a results-driven mindset.

Commit to yourself to apply to 10 jobs, have one networking conversation, and post once on LinkedIn per week. You'll be amazed at how quickly things start ramping up with a consistent, methodical approach.

Conclusion

If you're reading this, know that I've been exactly where you are right now. I've simultaneously been overconfident and not worried about it and then promptly transitioned into completely freaking out.

Yes, the numbers show it's tough - 40% drop in hiring, 40% underemployment. It's important to know that this may not be easy.

But remember: most students are still landing roles. The difference often comes down to preparation and process.

You have the tools. Now it's time to use them.

Start with one small step today - schedule that first career center appointment or reach out to one alum for an informational interview. Your future self will thank you.

Or, if you want some help with your journey, I'm more than happy to chat. Schedule some time with me