College Grads on the Hunt For a Job …
By: Chris Komisarjevsky
Tags: Resume Writing, Job Search, Resume, Job Hunting, Ramen Noodle Resume

Six Steps to Stay in the Game

If you’re a recent graduate and worsening job numbers are getting you down, don’t slack off in your search.

You need to be both realistic and energized.

There will be better times ahead.

In the meantime, though, it’s no wonder you might get discouraged. There’s little doubt that the most recent labor statistics show fewer jobs than expected.

According to the New York Times:

“The Labor Department reported Friday that employers added 245,000 jobs in November, fewer than half the number created in October. The pace of hiring has now diminished for five straight months.

“While many of those knocked out of a job early in the pandemic have been rehired, there are roughly 10 million fewer jobs than there were in February.”

While so many job seekers have been hit hard, college and university graduates who’ve been job hunting for months now are facing some of the biggest challenges. Months have passed with some not having the chance to land jobs and start building a full-time work and career history.

If you’re among the fortunate and are in discussion with a potential employer, make sure that you do everything possible to keep in close contact, show your excitement about the opportunity and communicate regularly. The competition is tough and you need to stand out. Don’t get complacent.

If you’re a recent graduate and might have slacked off even a little in your job search, get back in the game. And even more aggressively.

After all, time’s a-wastin’.

Here are six steps to make sure you’re not left behind:

1. Take stock of what you’ve been doing over the past few months — If you’ve been binge watching Ozark or Kim’s Convenience, stop. Save that for another time. Get out and volunteer. Or get a part-time job. Better yet, be entrepreneurial and show others that you’re energetic and able to be productive even when the job openings are slim.

2. Freshen up that resume — Time has passed since graduation. Your resume needs to be current. Add a section to talk about what you have been doing since you received your diploma and how that has changed your view on the economy, work and supporting yourself. You might find that your energy in these challenging times actually becomes your strongest calling card.

3. Show your entrepreneurial spirt and determination — Start a tutoring service, one student at a time. After all, those college English and math classes give you a leg up in helping elementary and high schoolers improve their grades or get ready for their SAT’s. Or start a business mowing lawns or shoveling snow. Everyone needs a helping hand. And you will earn some money in the process.

4. Think about your career goals — Are they still on target for you? Maybe your original plans don’t excite you as much as they did before. So what do you want to do? Go in a new direction? Maybe it’s time to think about a career in public service, the military or a role with an NGO or another kind of organization. Or, perhaps, it’s time to take a specialized course, go to grad school or earn a certificate in a particular digital skill.

5. Practice your zoom skills — Whether you find using zoom comfortable or not, take the time to practice for an interview. It is much more than a chat. Get your own zoom account. Use it to practice with a friend or someone whose opinion you respect and who will be candid. Even have your friend film the zoom discussion so you can see yourself. Sit up straight. Look directly at the camera. And consider what’s in the background. Does it reflect something memorable about you? You’d be surprised at what interviewers remember about their zoom interviews.

6. Last but not least, smile — Good times or tough ones, your self-confidence and excitement about each job opportunity make you stand out. Your attitude says volumes about the energy you bring and your self-confidence. Your smile helps interviewers imagine you as a positive addition to the team, eager to work with colleagues to do what is necessary to get the job done.

Above all, stay in the game. Use the coming weeks and months to get a leg up on others and put yourself in front.

Energy, determination and enthusiasm win the day …every day. But especially when the going gets tough.

NOTE — This essay draws on the advice and guidance in my most recent book, Ramen Noodle Resume, written specifically for new college graduates. Available on amazon. www.ramennoodleresume.com