2020 Graduates & the Job Market-Beat the Odds, (1 of 2)
A terrific question came up during my Facebook Live! broadcast on May 26. “Can you help my 2020 college graduate find a job?” Wow- great question! Not only did the class of 2020 lose their celebrations and parties, but they lost time to practice for transition to the workforce. If they had a job offer before the shutdown, it may have evaporated. They didn’t get to develop their job hunting systems, build a top-notch resume, and practice interview skills.
While my core mission is to save your wallet and your student’s financial future, I’m going to step into this challenge. Here’s why. Early in my career, I was a professional recruiter for a Fortune 50 company. I traveled to college campuses to recruit for entry-level management development positions. Other times I presented at seminars and panels at colleges and universities about resumes, interviewing, etc. It was a joy helping graduates make this important transition. While technology has changed the process and the interview questions, it remains true to the pattern used for decades. You’ve got to get past the roadblocks, electronic and human, to score an interview.
Until the shutdown and the loss of nearly 20 million jobs, the 2020 class had very bright prospects. But, in mid-March, many companies were forced to fire employees & furlough others just to survive. Since then, things are in transition. Some companies are hiring madly right now, BECAUSE of the increased business from the pandemic. Others are pushing back starter positions until late fall or 2021. It just depends.
Here are the processes I would use to get myself in the best possible position FOR an interview. I’ll cover the Interview phase in my next blog, next week.
FIRST. As a job candidate you must assess your skills, define your gifts, and demonstrate how you can add value to any company position you are seeking. I can hear your graduate now; “Yeah, right” (shoulder shrug and walk away…) And you, their parent, don’t know what to do or say. So here’s what you do. It’s time to take a career aptitude test AND a personal assessment test. The good ones cost a little money but most can be done online. Career aptitudes help narrow down your interests and give you some lanes to explore. Personal assessment tests confirm how you work best. Study after study shows employer AND employee satisfaction rises exponentially when the employee is using their native orientations in their work.
SECOND. Say YES to any opportunity to interview. This seems contrary to the paragraph before but stay with me. Even though you may have done the tests and have a direction, be open. When I was first job hunting, I took that same risk. If you had asked me if I wanted to work in the industry I have been in for decades, I would have said no. I went to the interview my neighbor set up for me just for practice. There I discovered a whole different world. Because I made no assumptions, I was introduced to a terrific company and a fulfilling career in a field I would NEVER have even considered on paper.
THREE. Remember: 80% of all positions are filled BEFORE they are posted on Monster, Indeed, Linkedin, or CareerBuilder. This statistic means what you think it does. Many jobs are filled before posting, resulting in increased competition for the ones you DO see. This is where you, their parent, can help. After your student has taken their career and personal assessment test(s) review them for pattern and direction. IF you know someone in a recommended industry, you can contact them and ask who in their company your graduate should contact about entry-level positions. You ask for a contact, and your graduate does the next steps via text, call, or a letter with the attached resume. Parents, your graduate does the work. This is very much a part of becoming an adult. Any person who helps your graduate deserves a thank you note regardless of the outcome. You’d be surprised where that could lead down the road.
FOUR. Create a resume that can be customized to any online job ad you respond to. Technology does a lot of the initial screening for job postings. Those ads describe the job with specific words defining what is known as job competencies. An algorithm screens applications or resumes for similar words found in the competencies descriptions’. Your graduate needs to review and match those magic words in the ad to the ones she/he uses to describe her/his skills or experiences. This lets the computer’s initial review push your graduate’s application or resume out of the pile and into the next level. This work has to be done with EVERY application or resume they send out. Yes, it takes time, but it will raise their odds tremendously.
RESOURCES: There are countless books on the subjects of finding jobs, writing resumes, etc. If you don’t have one, get one! For me, the standard-bearer that has stood the test of time and decades is, What Color is Your Parachute, and the accompanying workbook, The Job Hunters Workbook. Both are available for under $30 total purchase price.
In my book, ENOUGH! The College Cost Crisis, Chapter 9 suggests both personality and career profile tests for your consideration.
Next week, I’ll tackle the all-important job interview process. There are some key tricks and tips you don’t want to miss.
Please share this blog with any friends with 2020 graduates, high school, or college. This week and next week’s blogs could get them on the right path to a job and a career!
Until next time,
All my best,
Bonnie Burkett
