Post-Graduation Job Search Tips

The recent job outlook survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers shows employers projecting a 16 percent increase in the number of new college grads to be hired this year. This should be good news for those who graduated this December and for those who will graduate this summer. However, the recent increase in the national unemployment rate to 5 percent might be putting a little bit of fear into December grads who have not yet found their first entry-level job.

The fact is, first quarter is a good time to look for a new job since companies have put recruiting budgets in place and are ready to execute their hiring strategies.

If you graduated and have not yet secured a job, here are some tips for your post-graduation job search.

1. First and foremost - Do not panic! This is not an unusual scenario. You are not alone; there are still great career opportunities and entry level careers available.

2. Read the Resume FAQs online and make sure you are on the right track. Having a good resume is a key tool in a good job search.

3. Reconsider your job options and parameters. For example, if you had previously only looked at local organizations, you might now want to put relocation and commuting options back on the table.

4. Explore multiple industries. Make sure you understand the difference between a college major and a career. For example, all Psychology majors do not work in healthcare jobs. Psychology majors are in demand in other industries as well.

5. Sign up for alumni career services with your campus career center. Many career centers continue to work with new graduates to find jobs beyond graduation. If you are away from your career center, you may be able to get help by email or with a local college that offers job assistance services to the community. If for example, you have graduated from the California State University system, you might be able to use a local college with a reciprocal agreement with your alma mater.

6. Commit to and schedule daily job search activities. Create a job search activity schedule daily and work on it. Define, for example. the number of resume submissions you will do daily, number of new contacts you will make daily and number of career fairs on tap every month.

7. Consider post graduation internships and fellowships. They are a great way to get your foot in the door for a new job.

8. Rejuvenate your contacts and continue to build your network. Do not be shy about telling friends that you are still looking to start a career. In many cases there might be other jobs available with their company. Keep them in the loop.

January is a hot job search month and steady and consistent job search activities will pay off in the long run.