AAA Targeted Writing & Coaching

Fear and the New College Graduate Job Search

The same stories are popping up again as they have in past years: “New College Graduates Fact a Difficult Job Market.” “New Graduates Can’t Find Jobs.”

As I’ll outline below, these stories are true to some degree, but they are often written in a language of fear that makes new grads feel despair. Some delay starting their job search; others start only to give up after a few weeks. Fear leads to inertia.

Why is it so hard for new grads to find a job? First, employers often look for candidates with 1-3 years of experience. They assume that this type of employee will be more reliable and need less training. Second, new grads flood the market every spring, which means more people are competing for the same jobs. Finally, the current job market is not good. It’s not as bad as it was in 2009-2010, but it is certainly worse than it was in recent years.

Fear-based stories and statements make this situation worse. A recent newspaper article on AI’s impact on the university included this sentence: “Already recent reports estimate that roughly 40 percent of recent college graduates nationwide are underemployed.” Note the slippery words in the sentence: estimate, roughly, recent, and underemployed. Is this really 40%? Who knows? This kind of language only serves to make new college grads very pessimistic about their job search. We pay attention to the big number and ignore all the words that qualify the statement.

This is my recommendation for new grads. First, don’t buy into fear-based language. It only serves to paralyze us. A good job search requires energy and focus. Second, look at your classmates and graduates you know from recent years. Did they land jobs? How did they do it? Finally, plan and manage a consistent job search. Set a goal of applying to 10-15 jobs per week – jobs you are qualified to do. Engage your network and follow up with them.

It’s always harder for new graduates to get their first job. Fear makes it even harder. How do you fight the fear? Stay focused on your goals and keep working to achieve them. It’s not easy, but it’s the best way to land the job.

The Summer Job Search

Memorial Day has passed, and the Fourth of July is just around the corner. Last weekend I saw Edgewater Beach in Chicago covered with sun worshipers. The weather is great. Who wants to look for a job at this time of year?

Too often job seekers slow down or take a break during the summer, and that’s deadly for a job search, especially for those who need immediate income. I’ve never bought the sage advice that says, “Finding a job is a full time job.” People who spend forty hours or more looking for work often burn out quickly – and they stop. They also end up spraying and praying with their resume – applying to jobs that they aren’t qualified for or overqualified for. Their hard work is not leading to interviews – so they stop. They tell themselves it’s only for a few days or a week. But that break often stretches over a month or more.

How can you avoid this trap? Be consistent. Spend at least 15-20 hours a week looking for a job. That should give you enough time to apply to the right kind of jobs and stay engaged with your network. Stay focused and only apply to jobs that you are qualified for. Connect with your network contacts, ideally in person or by phone.

If you’re consistent, you don’t need to spend 40 hours a week looking for work, which leaves plenty of time to play on the beach in the summer and ice skate in the winter.

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