Success: 5 Tips for Finding a Job from Top Colleges Blog

January 7th, 2010

I know, I know…the job market sucks. Not only are today’s college graduates facing a terrible job market, jumping from the maternal womb of college life to the real world is depressing. I’m a few years out and I’m still dealing with the post-traumatic-stress syndrome of graduating then immediately moving back in with my parents. (Love you, Mom and Dad!) Since the average college grad lacks experience we can all lean on the fact that we’re still attractive to employers because we’re young, we’re naive, we’re cheap and therefore we’ll do things most seasoned employees will refuse to do. *Sigh* I guess that doesn’t help much either. Regardless, you need a job because that spa mani/pedi is not getting paid all by itself. If you’re out there on the hunt and you have no idea what you’re doing check out this great article “5 Tips for Finding a Job” from Top-Colleges.com. Here are some of the key points I found interesting:

#1 Make a Connection

“…you need to make an attempt to make a personal connection so your resume will stick out from the rest.”

#2 Utilize the Career Center

“With an in-person appointment, you can get hands-on assistance with conducting a job search and the career counselor can more effectively help you with creating a resume and practicing interview skills.”

#3 Expand Your Horizons

“If you are having a difficult time finding a job or if you have a few different career interests, focus your job search efforts on the area where the most jobs are available.”

#4 Consider Your Priorities

“When deciding on the right career path, it is important to consider which is more important to you: a job that is intellectually stimulating or one with a high salary. While it is always nice to have a job that is personally satisfying, you also need to make certain you are making enough money to pay for your living expenses.”

#5 Don’t Run Off to Graduate School

“Attending graduate school is meant to be a stepping-stone toward advancing in your career or taking it in a new direction, not as a strategy for finding a job when no jobs seem to be available.”