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Originally Posted On: https://kathleenvosstemple.wordpress.com/2022/06/22/kathleen-voss-to-college-graduates/

Kathleen Voss to College Graduates: If you didn’t get the job you wanted, don’t take just any job!

Employers are posting new jobs at unprecedented rates following COVID. And yet, many college graduates aren’t being offered jobs. How is this possible? According to Indeed.com, two of the most frequent reasons college graduates struggle to find jobs are limited work experience and inadequate networking. A recent analysis of close to 4 million jobs posted on LinkedIn since late 2017 showed that 35% of “entry-level” postings required prior relevant work experience. You need the job to obtain the experience, yet you need experience to get the job…unless you network your way in (hold that thought!). According to Alan Seals, Associate professor at Auburn University, candidates need more than a college degree to be considered, such as multiple internships, or network connections to push resumes around the candidate application algorithms.

If you are graduating from college and find yourself scrambling to find employment, consider your options carefully. Obviously, most of us need to work to pay our bills; however, your first job after college on your resume tells a story that will create long term impact on your career. However, research suggests that a service or retail job that you take to pay bills can be detrimental when applying for other work. If you take a job to pay bills, leave it off your resume. Populate your resume with volunteer employment or professional contract work where you will gain experience (and references) that will help you. Keep applying for jobs, but only reasonable jobs that you are truly interested in. Candidate management systems track applications…need I say more?

And use every experience, every day to build and cultivate a network that will help you.

College graduates: If you didn’t get the job you wanted, don’t take just any job!

Employers are posting new jobs at unprecedented rates following COVID. And yet, many college graduates aren’t being offered jobs. How is this possible? According to Indeed.com, two of the most frequent reasons college graduates struggle to find jobs are limited work experience and inadequate networking. A recent analysis of close to 4 million jobs posted on LinkedIn since late 2017 showed that 35% of “entry-level” postings required prior relevant work experience. You need the job to obtain the experience, yet you need experience to get the job…unless you network your way in (hold that thought!). According to Alan Seals, Associate professor at Auburn University, candidates need more than a college degree to be considered, such as multiple internships, or network connections to push resumes around the candidate application algorithms.

If you are graduating from college and find yourself scrambling to find employment, consider your options carefully. Obviously, most of us need to work to pay our bills; however, your first job after college on your resume tells a story that will create long term impact on your career. However, research suggests that a service or retail job that you take to pay bills can be detrimental when applying for other work. If you take a job to pay bills, leave it off your resume. Populate your resume with volunteer employment or professional contract work where you will gain experience (and references) that will help you. Keep applying for jobs, but only reasonable jobs that you are truly interested in. Candidate management systems track applications…need I say more?

And use every experience, every day to build and cultivate a network that will help you.