Recession-Proof Your Job Search College Grads!

So you've graduated and now is the time to start looking for a career. This is something that is difficult to do, and even more so during a recession. When it comes to the fashion industry, finding a job can be a grueling task. As a fashion student myself, I have witnessed how stressful this can really be. In my search, I have found that there are three important things to finding a fashion job after college. Finding a job is about who you know, using creative job-searching techniques, and having a great resume' and interview. Using these three techniques will definitely put college grads at an advantage in the job market.

1.) Who you know

All through high school I was told that reaching your goals is about 'who you know and what you know'. Since I was raised on the 'working hard and getting what you deserve concept', I never really took in the 'who you know' aspect of this quote. It was not until I started my job hunt that I finally realized how true this really was. In the fashion field, it is all about who you know. A lot of the time it doesn't even matter what you know. If you can't find someone in the field to get you in, it doesn't matter what you know.

-Networking- your life as a job opportunity

So that is when I learned the theory of networking also known as your life as a job opportunity. When I attended the fashion institute of Technology in New York, this is a literal concept. Women dressed to a T every day, since you never know who you may meet, or see or talk to that day. This is the concept of networking. You always shake hands, introduce yourself properly and stay in touch. You never know when an opportunity may present itself.

-Linked in

Opportunities are everywhere when you are looking for them. Once in class my professor advised us all to join a website called LinkedIn, to keep in touch after we graduated, and to help us find jobs in the future. Linked in is a social networking site solely dedicated to meeting people to enhance your chances at a career. For those who can be a little shy in person, this is the perfect opportunity to find work. What is so great about this site is that it not only keeps you connected to your professors and friends in your corresponding field, but it connects you to their contacts as well. There is also an opportunity to join different groups that are more dedicated to looking for jobs in your specific field.

- Graduate job searching engine

Upon graduation, many universities provide their graduates with a job search engine that requires a username and password for a limited time. This connects students with companies who have hired other graduate from your school, which again gives college graduates an advantage. To learn about these opportunities, you should ask your school counselors.

-Friends and family

This is one group that is usually neglected when looking for a job. Remember that you already have a network of your own filled with opportunities. Your parents are working and so are some of your friends. If worst comes to worst, you can always see what they know about available openings in their places of work. Or even if they know someone who would be willing to help you find a job.

2.) Creative job searching techniques

Aside from the 'who you know' concept , we have to remain nimble with our job hunting since we are working in a recession here, not to mention a generation of communication. There are several new ways to go about looking for a job. This is the time to get a little creative.
- Twitter
I will admit that I was one of the last to join the twitter craze because to me it had no purpose, until I saw it as a job opportunity. I started by just following different fashion stylist to get an ideal of what that job was like when I realized that there were many groups to follow including fashion jobs, NYC jobs, entry level jobs that posted different jobs throughout the day. Once I discovered this, I saw twitter as a goldmine. Everyone is on it now including companies that I would ideally work for. If you are not on now, I highly suggest you join.

-Career websites

Since we do live in an age of constant communication, there are plenty of websites to go to that you can post your resume' and cover letter on and let the employers come to you. Some of these websites include www.collegegrad.com , www.stlyecareers.com , www.vault.com, www.careerbuilder.com , and www.monster.com to name a few. For most of these sites you add your resume', make up a profile of your achievements and wait for someone to come along. This requires some patience, but gives you a chance to constantly job search even when you are physically out in interviews and going through newspapers your resume' can be on these sites being viewed by several employers at once.

-craigslist and newspapers

While there are so many new ways to search for a job these days, you can't forget about the old school way of doing this and that is just looking at the help wanted ads in the newspaper, or for a more updated version of this craigslist. Now there are many people who are not too trustworthy of craigslist but there are many people going to this site to find employees.

3.) An excellent Resume' and Interview

Although it is often emphasized I really don't think we really understand how important your resume' and interview is when it comes to finding a job. You're main goal is to wow the employer. Show them a person who is goes above and beyond with their work. When it comes to writing an excellent resume there are a few tips to remember.

-Make sure your resume' is easy to read and powerful. Use action words instead of jus listing things you did at a previous job.

-Make sure it focuses on the job at hand. If you are applying for a job as a fashion stylist, they probably won't care about your previous babysitting experience. Make sure the things on your resume' represent the job you are going for.

- Be sure to list achievements instead of your responsible and use numbers. Say what percentage of sales that increased after your employment, or how much was your biggest sale that one holiday.

- Body language- As far as the interview goes, your non-verbal behavior is just as important as your verbal behavior. This is why you should always use great body language in an interview. Make sure your body faces the person you are talking to, and make eye contact. Be sure to give a nice firm handshake as well.

-Dress properly- It is good to dress for the job you want. It is also possible to overdress for an interview. I know once I wore a suit for a shoe store sales position and I was more dressed than the interviewer themselves. Needless to say I didn't get the job, but It is always good to do a little research beforehand so you know what to wear; especially in fashion companies. Even if it is a designer you cannot afford, you should wear something that looks like you could wear it to that place of work that day.

-do your research about the company

On top of researching the company's overall style, it is also good to know a few facts about the company itself. Knowing dates is always a bonus like when the company began and who started it. Who are some celebrity spokespeople, and what type of charities are they sponsoring. These are just a few things one should know but it's always good to know about the company you may be working for.

-explain why you are better for this job than anyone else. Last but not least you have something to prove in this tough job market. What makes you a valuable employee compared to all those looking for work right now? What can you possibly offer their company that no one else can? You should probably ask yourself this question before you go to every interview not only for a self confidence booster, but also to get the job you really deserve.

So there it is in a nut shell, all the many ways to find a job in this recession. It won't be easy and even with all these tips I cannot guarantee a certain time span it would take to land a job. But I do suggest you start early. Start looking before you graduate if you can and above all else think positively. If you go into every interview thinking I know I'm not going to get this job, chances are, you probably won't. But staying positive in this search will not only land you that job you deserve, but keep you afloat along the way.