When I was in college, my entire goal was to be hired before graduation. This is how I personally measured the “togetherness” of my life. I thought if I just had that job offer in hand, I’d suddenly have all of the answers I needed to officially become an adult.
If only my 22 year old self knew being an adult wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. I sincerely regret all of the naps I didn’t take advantage of, but that’s some advice for another day.
UW-Whitewater, my alma mater, had this thing at the end of each semester where you got your picture taken and posted online if you were hired before graduation. Each photo on Facebook included a little blurb on what the person majored in and where they’d be working.
Outside of being a great post to share with all of your family and friends on Facebook, it was a really cool way to see what people were doing with their degree and where they were ending up. To be honest, seeing this post my freshman or sophomore year is what jump started my goal to being hired before graduation. I’d get to march onto campus in my cute business suit, do a power pose, and share the picture with everyone I knew.
Unfortunately for me, the dream didn’t come true. I did get a job offer two days before graduation but the photo shoot had occurred weeks before. I was bummed to say the least, feeling like that photo would validate me and my accomplishment of landing a job.
Was my first job out of college my dream job? Not even close. Was I happy at work most of the time? Not one bit.
Here’s the thing though: it got me closer to where I wanted to be and helped me realize what I actually wanted to do within my career. If I hadn’t taken that job, who knows how long it would’ve taken to get another offer. I took the opportunity for what it was, tried to do the best job possible, and used it as a stepping stone toward a career path I love.
You are not a failure if your offer doesn’t come right away, whether that be a month, two months, or even a year after graduation. The job search takes time no matter what. The global pandemic we’re in doesn’t necessarily do anyone any favors, either.
Either way, your first job out of college probably won’t be your last. The average tenure of millennial's in the workforce is somewhere around 2.5 years, meaning we are leaving positions for raises and promotions rather than waiting to get them from within.
Focus on getting a good position or within a good company that gives you the experience you need to move up from there. Volunteer to take on extra projects or responsibilities as that could lead you to a whole other path you never considered before.
If nothing else, continue to apply for internships as well that could help build your reputation within a company. Look to see if there is freelance work you could do out there to build a portfolio.
Be an advocate for yourself in the job search, too. If you’re excited about a position, reach out to the recruiter or hiring manager to follow up after you’ve applied to make sure your resume isn’t lost in the stack. Send thank you notes after interviews to express your excitement for the role. Ask a friend to look over your resume or help you practice interviewing to be extra ready.
Utilize LinkedIn and the tools it offers, including a new feature: #OpenToWork. Many professionals are writing posts to their networks to indicate they’ve been laid off, an offer fell through, or they’re just generally looking for something new. By using the hashtag #OpenToWork, your network will know to pass along roles they know or even tag someone they know that is hiring.
Outside of that, continue to apply, apply, apply. Don’t let up, even if you get discouraged. Just know your day will come, but keep arming yourself with the best resources possible to help you in your search.
If you get an offer that isn’t ideal, consider how it can help you in your future. Will it give you some applicable skills toward your next position, will it offer a good compensation to help pay off student loans?
No matter what, honestly consider it. You can’t know when another one will come, and it doesn’t mean you have to stop your job search completely. While it’s not advised to leave a job after a month or two for something better, it can be understandable if this new job puts you in a much better position.
You’re not a failure for not being hired before graduation, and your first job doesn’t define your entire career. How you choose to respond to the situation makes all the difference.
As always, reach out if you need any help. I’m happy to offer any advice I can or refer you to some open positions I know about, no matter the industry.
This article is my own and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of TEKsystems.
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