Advice for Recent Grads

Due to the current economic climate, recent grads may be having a difficult time finding their desired entry-level job. Take the following suggestions in order to help take control of your job search.

Job Search Tips

1. Make a Plan

• Where in the world will you work?
• Are you willing to relocate?
• What hours are you willing to work?
• What are your values and how do available jobs relate?
• What transferable skills do you possess?
• Job Search Checklist

2. Find Job Openings

• Newspaper Ads
• Spartan Jobs
• Major-specific job search websites
• Company websites
• Chamber of Commerce employer listings
• Employment agencies

3. Network

• Family and friends
• Professors
• Supervisors and former employers
• LinkedIn
• My Manchester University
• Professional Associations

4. Research

• What is the outlook for your desired job?
• What are the current top hiring employers and fields?
• Explore company mission statements

5. Prepare for the Application

• Current resume, tailored to the available job
• Concise cover letter, tailored to the available job
• References aware of your circumstances
• Possess appropriate interview apparel
• Prepared for possible interview questions and answers

Grad Job Search Video

Being unemployed in this economy is not an unusual situation. Three Manchester graduates were willing to answer our questions about the trials of their job search, including:

• How to stay motivated and sharp
• Fighting discouragement
• How to take care of yourself while out of work

Watch Now!

Transferable Skills

What skills related to the job to the job you are applying to have you developed in your past?

• Communication: expressing, facilitating, perceiving, negotiating, reporting, describing
• Organization: coordinating, controlling, expediting
• Leadership: initiating, handling, supervising, delegating, promoting, training
• Reserach and Planning: predicting, analyzing, defining, developing, creating, imagining
• Human Relations: providing support, building rapport, cooperating, asserting, motivating

How to Build Professional Skills without a Job

Being without employment can make it even more important to continue to build your skills and be versed in the current trends in your field. Here are several ways to do so:

• Internships
• Job shadowing
• Membership in professional organizations
• Volunteer
• Part-time jobs
• Continuing studies courses