A Personal Note to the Class of 2019

Congratulations on your graduation from college! You should be really excited about graduating. Yet, you're not.

I get it. I remember exactly how I felt the day I graduated college. I left Northeastern University with a degree in hand and no job on the horizon. I remember thinking, "Now what am I going to do?" Back in my day, we were in the midst of one of the worst recessions on record. It was embarrassing to move back home because you didn't have a job. However, people seemed to understand this. Today, not so much, given record low unemployment here in the United States. Here's what you need to know, as you enter the world we call work.

Nobody cares how many Instagram followers you have or how many likes you have on a post. What they do care about is what you can do for them. With that in mind, think about the impact your contribution will have on a company's bottom line. The more value you can add, the better.

You will be asked why you haven't secured a job. You best have a good answer.

Turn your phone off when you go in for an interview. This may sound like common sense. However, a new television special with Diane Sawyer on Screen Time highlights how often young people place their phones on the table when interviewing for a job and how this one move impacts how recruiters perceive them. Let me save you some screen time by telling you recruiters were less likely to recommend those who did this versus those who don't. Don't blow your chances of landing a good job. Being out of touch for an hour is better than being out of work for hours at a time.

Applying for jobs online most likely won't get you a job. Think about it. There are hundreds of people (maybe even thousands), who are clicking away and applying for jobs all hours of the night. The likelihood you'll be selected from this group is about the same as you winning the lottery. Can it happen? Sure. But I wouldn't bet on it.

Network smarter, not harder. What if I told you there's an easier and more effective way to secure work? You've heard the term networking, right? Networking has and still is the best way to secure a job.

Here's my ABC approach to networking, which will help you dramatically accelerate your job search. Make a list of everyone you know. Include the names of college professors, friends of your parents, and people whom you used to babysit for on this list. Ask your folks and other relatives to help you add names to this list. Next to each name, mark the letter A, B or C. The "A's" are people who appear to have the ability to hire someone like you. The "B's" are those who can refer you to those with hiring authority. The "C's" are people who aren't likely to be of help to you. Focus your outreach on the "A" people. When you're done with that list, reach out to the "B's" to see who in their network they know that they'd be willing to introduce you to someone who might be able to hire you.

Stay the course until you find the right job. You may be tempted to take just any position, especially if you have school loans to pay. If you go this route, no doubt you'll be back on the job market by year's end. Consider a part-time job, so you can pay your loans and still have time to interview.

Remember, this too shall pass. If you want to find employment sooner, rather than later, then put your foot on the accelerator and don't stop driving forward until you've secured a job worth driving to.

? Matuson Consulting, 2019.

Ask about our job search mentoring program for newly minted grads! Reach out to me at [email protected] for details.

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