Millennial Lemons

Finding a job is rough right now. I think most recent grads can vouch for that. Following graduation, students are forced into a huge transition: from student to employee.  It is a very strange and difficult transition. Working full-time is completely different than studying and taking classes. And applying for jobs is even more different than applying to universities.

Having been an Accounting major, I feel that I was extremely spoiled by the aide I received from my program in this transition. I was required to take classes teaching me about resumes, interviews, networking, and business etiquette. At the time, I thought this was an extremely lame and elementary class that quite frankly insulted my intelligence. However, in hind-sight, I feel that I would of been completely lost and clueless without their help.

Unfortunately, I do not believe that all colleges and programs put the same amount of effort into helping their students in this transition. Therefore, I will try to share with you some of the key things that I have learned about the job market.

1. Resume- In several situations, your resume is your first (and maybe only) impression. It is very important to have a good resume.  Most resumes have the basic education, GPA, GMAT/GRE, accomplishments, clubs, etc. However, because so many resumes look the same, it is important to use this as an opportunity to distinguish yourself.  Whenever possible, try to add something interesting (ie. travel experience, black belt in karate, etc).

2. Cover letter- This was the most awkward part for me. The purpose of a cover letter is to state (a) why you are applying for the position (b) why you are qualified for the position and (c) what you will contribute to their company. This is hard for a lot of people because they don’t know how to answer these questions. So with someone with zero experience (pretty much all college grads) you have to be a little creative. If you have no work experience, I would use this as an opportunity to discuss what you have learned in your classes. However, don’t go over-kill here. Just simply mention that you have been studying the subject and focus most of the letter on what you can do for them. Lots of companies hire young people because  they are looking for fresh ideas. This is a great place to stick out among the pile of resumes and cover letters.

3. Networking-  If you are looking for a job, you need to be on linked in. This is like a professional facebook. It is a great way for people to find you, or to add a contact after a networking event. Unfortunately, finding a job is more about who you know rather than what you know.

With the company I have been working for, I have been part of their recruitment team- which is in charge of hiring.  From this experience, I can easily say that networking is THE most important thing when looking for a job.

Attending networking events is very important when looking for a job. A lot of people don’t realize how important they can be. If your college is having an event, go. It is worth your while, I promise.

The 2 biggest mistakes most college students make at networking events is (1) wasting time trying to talk to the highest ranking person and (2) trying to meet everyone there. Since I have been on the other side of this, I can say that even as the lowest ranking employee in the firm, I had the authority to say ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to applicants. If I made a connection with someone, I would introduce them to a partner or tell HR after the event. The partner is much, much more likely to remember you if you are introduced by someone within the firm. Unfortunately, many students read the ‘partner’ name tag and attach themselves like a leech and spend the entire event trying to get their attention. From experience, I know that this drives them crazy.

I hope this is at least somewhat beneficial. I feel that over the past 2 years I have been able to see both sides of the process and hope that I can provide a little help. Because this is getting a little too wordy, I will soon follow-up with a post on the interviewing process. This will include the different interview methods  and questions that you should always be prepared to answer in an interview.

Please feel free to comment with other recommendations and tips!