College Graduate Seeking Employment? Five Strategies for Uncovering New Job Opportunities that Work

A recent article in Business Week refers to them as “The Lost Generation”- unemployed or “underemployed” young adults feeling frustrated with their job search during the highest unemployment in decades. For recent college graduates, it’s especially difficult. High expectations and newly minted degrees are met with the reality that there may be few employment opportunities, let alone in their chosen field of study.

And it’s not only the recent grads who are discouraged. With each passing day, their parents also become frustrated - especially after paying a small fortune in college tuition - to realize the college degree is not a sure ticket to a good job. But all is not gloom and doom. Those young people who adapt to the realities of the changing economy will be successful in launching good careers. As career coaches, we help recent college graduates think about their job search and career goals in new ways, and we offer practical strategies to help them move forward. Here are some examples:

Start With Your Strengths: What are you really good at? Maybe you are a people person. Maybe you are a logical thinker. Or an excellent writer. Think beyond your major and last summer’s job to what skills you bring to these ventures and really enjoy using. Although the job you imagined yourself doing while you were in college may not be available, there may be other fields you haven't yet considered where your skills will be valued.

And Build From There: Make sure your skills and strengths shine through on your resume. Instead of listing your experience in chronological order, highlight your abilities and selling points, and use your experience to support them. For example, if you have terrific computer skills, say so, and then name situations in which you've used them. These can be paid or unpaid experiences. Functional resumes, as career coaches call them, help you market your real abilities to industries in which you've had little or no experience.

Adjust your Mindset To See Opportunity: Although our world economy appears to be stuck right now, it’s actually in transition. Recognize that many of the jobs lost in the economic downturn are not coming back, but new ones will arise. Learn as much as you can about what is happening in the world, so you are able to identify opportunities of the future and be in the front when hiring begins. For example, the auto industry appears to be in the decline, and this may not a good time to look for manufacturing jobs. But to make a comeback, the industry will need young designers who think about cars differently than in the past. Jobs for designers are opportunities that will arise from the crisis.

Also, what you may consider “just a job” or a “stepping stone job” until you find “a real job”, can introduce you to exciting new markets, interesting people, and opportunities that you never considered before. Try to let go of the idea that there is only one clear career path for you, and be open to new experiences that come your way.

Become A Possibility Thinker: A possibility thinker is someone who perseveres to reach his or her goal, and when obstacles arise, he or she finds a way to blast through them. Sometimes, it takes more ingenuity than others. In a challenging job market, young people need to become resourceful, proactive problem solvers and create job opportunities for themselves. One way is to create your own internship. Offer a business, hospital, school, or non-profit organization your time, energy, and skills for a limited time for free. This provides you with concrete work experience to put on a resume, and a network of new business contacts. And, often, an internship leads to a paid position.

It’s All About Relationships: Many new grads send out hundreds of resumes or job applications and get no response. This is very frustrating. While it's useful to expand your job search as much as you can, it's equally important to target specific markets, and build personal relationships through networking. Networking is a necessary skill that can be developed through coaching and practice. We teach young people how to make contacts, and effectively describe your skills, experience, and career objectives to people you meet. Think of everyone you meet as potentially moving you closer to your goal.

Note:It's important to network beyond traditional circles such as college career centers and college alumni. Get creative. One idea is to attend networking events and conferences for professionals already working in your field of interest. Focused on Green Energy? Go to a Sustainable Business Networking meeting. Thinking about starting your own business? Attend a Women-Owned Business networking breakfast. Most professional networking events are inexpensive ($25) and open to the public (if not, call the contact person and ask to attend). You will meet people who might be hiring (or know someone who is hiring), and at the very least, you will make valuable networking contacts. A little creativity and a dose of chutzpah can pay off!

Don’t Go It Alone: Career coaching involves helping new graduates face the changing economy, with the vision, skills, and positive mindset to take productive steps toward a meaningful career. You can learn the skills involved in capturing a job in a competitive field, but it often requires some help. Identifying your own skills and strengths sometimes takes an outside perspective. Practical skills - such as effective relationship building and networking, crafting your resume to showcase your talents, and interviewing with confidence - improve with coaching and practice. Learn these skills now, and they will benefit you at every stage of your career.