Graduating and No Job...What To Do Next?

In an ideal world, every graduate would be paired with the perfect job to match their skill set, abilities and interest. But in reality, not everyone will have their dream job, or any job at all for that matter. While the graduation pomp and circumstance may denote the culmination of years of hard work, it also notes the beginning of a new journey into the "real world."

Even if you haven't secured a job yet, take heart in knowing that you can still meet your career objectives. We've asked experts to offer advice for students who may need to double their efforts in securing employment or making plans for graduate school.

What advice would you offer students who are preparing for graduation and haven't secured a job?

This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but relax! Have you exhausted all the means available to help you with your search for employment? Students need to be detectives, uncovering and following-up on leads that may come from many sources but are focused on "collaring the prime suspect": the job that best matches their interests and skills. Ask questions, talk to anyone who will listen, but most important of all, learn how to listen. Looking for employment is at least as much about the employer as it is about the student—maybe more so.

If they have not already done it, they might want to sit down and interview the counselor or director of their campus career center. Get the inside tips on who has been hiring, and who might still have hiring needs. That faculty member that they have been trying to ignore all year might be next on the list. Find out if any employers have made inquiries about filling positions and who is funding/ sponsoring departmental projects and research. These companies know something about the school and may be more receptive to applicants.

Call or visit the alumni relations office on campus. Ask if it is possible to get the names of alumni who work for employers of interest. Contact them. Read the alumni relations website. Seek out clues about alumni clubs, events, and activities on and off campus. Alumni have the same DNA as you—you have completed studies at the same institution!

As detectives, you can uncover much that will help you with your search for employment. Here are a few key words/phrases that may spark some creative hunting: networking; economic development; chambers of commerce; business sections of newspapers; nanotechnology; biotechnology; information technology; Small Business Administration; the national headquarters for your fraternity or sorority; and your state department of labor. These are only a few of the many areas that you can explore but you have to commit time and be receptive to what you see and hear. This is how detectives solve their cases and this is pretty much how students
will find employment.

While you are at it, students need to make sure their resumés and interview techniques resonate with the industries  that they want to work in. Do students use the same words that people in the industry use? Are students focusing on the skills that employers are asking for? To make a long story short students have to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk." This is no time to use a resumé template or the self-help guide answers to interview questions. Each student must think seriously about what makes them unique—what makes them stand out from the other graduating students who are still looking for a job. Believe me, the fact that you are looking for a job does not make you stand out.

So, relax—but work on the job search like you never have before. Seek out new clues and follow-up. Let everyone know you are looking but don't be desperate. There are lots of opportunities out there—just broaden your horizon and be ready to seize the opportunities when they present themselves. There are no excuses—you have the time, the resources, and the ambition to succeed. So get to it!

The first thing you should realize is that although your graduation date has probably been imprinted in your mind for months now, it is not the magic date by which all organizations must have their new hires selected. There will always be factors that affect hiring projections and starting dates.

If you have already utilized your career services office, be patient and don't think that your efforts have been in vain. Continue with your job search, especially networking. If you haven't been to your career center, do so immediately. You've already missed out on career fairs and on-campus recruiting, so your job search may be more difficult. However, your career center staff can provide valuable information to help you get started.

Remember that searching for a job can be a job in itself! Best wishes on your graduation and good luck!

If you are graduating this spring or even this summer and haven't yet secured a job, don't panic but get moving! Although there are a lot of graduates that have already received multiple offers and many that may have even accepted positions, there is still hope for you! Here's what you need to do:

• Get motivated (Stop worrying about everybody else. Start concentrating on  you and the contributions you can make to a company or organization).

• Meet with the department dealing with career services on your campus (make sure that your resume is in tip top shape and get some direction and advice from the professionals).

• Set a game plan (What are your true interests, skills and desires? Why are you waiting? Start researching opportunities in areas of interest. Start identifying possible career paths. Start gathering information on networking and career-related events at your campus and in the community. Don't forget virtual fairs or web-searching as part of your search).

• Take action. ( Finding a job can be a full-time job in itself. But if you are sitting back and waiting for the perfect job to come to you — you may be waiting for a long time. Start sending out at least 25-30 resumés a month and track your efforts so that you can follow up. Effort and direction = career success).

Students should be willing to take advantage of the many career development tools available on their campus. At Purdue University Calumet and many other universities across the nation, there are services such as:

• Resumé and Cover Letter Reviews

• Mock Interview Sessions (in-person or virtually with streaming video)

• Personalized Career Coaching Appointments

• Online and In-house Career Libraries for Research

• Online Job Boards (local and national companies are seeking out graduates just like you!)

• Upcoming Career and Networking Events Connections to Professional Organizations

• Support, support, support, and much more.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. If every student could do it on their own, Career Services wouldn't exist.

Happy Hunting!