Job Search Tips For The Class of 2009

Some of our students from the College Planning Coach are now getting ready to graduate. We certainly didn’t know when we helped get them into college that the economy would be this challenged when they graduated. 

So, to our graduates, please know that you are not alone.  Eighty percent of the 2009 college graduation class is expected to return home without a job.  It’s expected that 1.5 million college graduates will enter one of the toughest job markets in recent history.  If you follow this blog, then you would know when I graduated from college, I took a bartending class.  I was not sure if I was going to find a job so I learned how to be a bartender in case I needed to make cash.  Fortunately, I did not need to use my training and was able to secure a position in the still vibrant automotive industry.

Here are a few tips on how to go out and find a job in this difficult market:

1.    If you have held internships, call that employer.  Internships are intended to teach you a trade, so now is the time to take advantage of the contacts and experience they created.  They might not have a current opening, but maybe they know somebody in the industry that can help you.  Keep in touch with them as you continue your search.

2.    Donate your time.  Ideally, you should try to find a non-profit directly related to your degree. For instance, if you’re an architect, donate your time to a nonprofit that builds homes for poor people such as Habitat for Humanity. Other charities could also provide you with relevant experiences which can beef up your resume and connect you with people in a position to help you with your job search. 

3.    Use Twitter or Facebook for networking and prospecting.  Search out old contacts and reach out to them.  Don’t go and ask for a job right off the bat.  Rather, start a dialog with them and find out more about what they are up to.  Post things you are doing and the new skills you are learning.  Re-kindle the relationship first, then mention you are looking for a job.

4.    If you are willing to move, expand your search to other cities.  You never know what you might find out there.

5.    Adjust your Facebook account.  This is especially true if you are following suggestion #3. If you’re going to use this medium, make sure any questionable pictures have been removed. And check your privacy settings. The last thing you need is a potential employer looking up your page the day after one of your friends posted party pictures.

I hope these help.  But one final tip to remember.  Don’t give up and don’t fall into a lazy trap.  Stay away from Oprah, the game shows, soap operas, or worse the TV Court shows.  Knowing the latest stories will not help you get a job, but taking action will!

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