The Whole Story

Do not wait too long to start seaching for a job

Why this story is important: Everyone needs to find a job and it’s getting more difficult in this economy. This article shows what you can do to be as prepared as possible for the job market.

What I did to get this story: I interviewed a career counselor at career services and talked a little to the director.

Online links to the information used in this story: http://www.valdosta.edu/career/

Chris just graduated from college. As he walks across the stage to accept his diploma, finding a job is the farthest thing from his mind. “I have my degree now,” he thinks. “All that hard work finally payed off.” A few weeks after he graduates, Chris starts looking for a job. He posts his resume on a few job sites and calls a few local businesses. He doesn’t want to move away from his home so he doesn’t really try anywhere outside his city. No one was hiring and the resume didn’t get any legitimate responses but Chris isn’t worried. He is sure that in a few weeks something will come up. For now, his job as a clerk at a department store was tying him over until some real work came in. Months pass and Chris starts to get worried. It’s been five months since graduation and he still doesn’t have any offers he wants. No one locally is hiring and only offers from halfway across the country have come in on the Internet. He knew the economy was in a downturn but he never thought it would affect him that much. His job is still paying the bills, but he doesn’t want to be a department store clerk forever. Chris nervously looks at his resume and wonders, “What now?”
Whether we are in an economic downturn or not, some students don’t really think about what there are going to do about work until later when they get out of college .According to Maria Hall, a career counselor in the Career Services department, it takes on average about three months to find a job in a good economy, and it takes six-nine months in a bad economy. Students need to start looking for jobs early. Around junior year is best. Even if you haven’t graduated yet, it’s a good idea to start networking now so you can have something waiting for you when you get out. According to Hall, a big mistake people make is waiting until the last minute to look for a job.
While you are in school, it’s a good idea to be more involved with the university than just doing schoolwork and attending classes. According to Hall, employers are looking for graduates that are well rounded. Also, try to get a summer internship. Even if it’s unpaid, employers also like to see that you can actually apply what you learn in classes.
According to Hall, another big mistake students make is going out into the job market with an unprofessional resume. Your resume is a few little pieces of paper representing you in your entirety as an employee to a potential employer. Even the littlest mistake can make a business overlook you. When it comes to resumes, every detail matters. Take advantage of the resume clean up at Career Services or ask your professors for help.
When you are thinking about where to look for a job, be flexible and be willing to move to the job. Try to get your resume out to as many people as possible, and don’t just post it on a job site.
“Going directly to the employer is best,” Hall said.
Make good choices about jobs you accept, but try not to be too picky about the location and the pay of your first job. You don’t know what doors it could open up and you may not have many other chances to find out.
It’s probably going to be challenging for everyone to find a job for a while, but just make the right preparations and remember, the economy will get better. Take advantage of every opportunity and don’t wait too long.