Q: My name is
Sanders and I will be graduating in May of this year (2009) .
Unfortunately I feel that I may be entering the work force at the worst
possible time. So my question to you is what can I do to help myself
stand out from the rest of the current graduates and also what do
employers look for at this particular time when judging a resume. I
really appreciate you taking the time to review my question/comment and
look forward to your response.
A: There is no doubt this is a very challenging time to be entering the workforce. But it is absolutely not impossible to find a job, despite the recession. Here are some tips to stand out from other graduates -- hint: it takes some extra effort:
1. Take full advantage of Career Services. Services that can cost hundreds of dollars in the “real world” are available at no cost from your school, even after you graduate. This includes career counseling, resume editing, interview prep, exclusive networking events, access to alumni databases and much more. If you’re not working with your college’s career services office, you are missing an enormous opportunity.
2. Research every organization you’d like to work for. The biggest complaint I hear from recruiters is that job candidates, especially young professionals, don’t know enough about the companies to which they’re applying. It’s crucial to be extremely knowledgeable about any company you want to work for. This helps you stand out by showing that you’re genuinely interested in the organization and that you’re ready to hit the ground running on day one. To make sure you never miss a thing, set up Google news alerts for any companies on your target list. You’ll then receive an email whenever that company appears in a news article, blog post, press release or anywhere else. This will keep you in-the-know about new products or services, company announcements, industry issues and, of course, job opportunities.
3. Join LinkedIn and use it every day. Many recruiters, headhunters, small business owners and corporate hiring managers are now recruiting through LinkedIn, so make sure you are taking advantage of every aspect of this social networking site. First, set up a complete profile including keywords an employer might use to find someone like you. Join professional networking groups on LinkedIn to build your connections and become part of conversations about industry news. Scour other people's profiles to look for companies you may want to apply to, job titles or professions you didn't know about, professional organizations where you might network and people with similar interests who might be willing to offer you some job search advice. There aren't that many students on LinkedIn, so you'll certainly stand out if you actively participate in this growing community.
4. Call or email 5 contacts every day. Often the job goes to the person who is in the right place at the right time. Stay on recruiters’ and networking contacts’ radar screens by regularly reminding them of your availability and your potential. Some ideas: Check in every week or two with an additional idea for what you can contribute to the company, drop a note when you see the company or person mentioned in a news article, attend live events where you are likely to run into your contacts and check in whenever you have a new accomplishment to share. Just be careful to remain polite and relevant.
5. Get an industry insider to review your resume. What do employers look for when judging student resumes? It really depends on the particular employer. So, the best way to ensure that your resume will stand out is to get feedback from someone who might be assessing it -- a professional working in the field, or ideally the company, where you want to work. Don't guess what different companies or industries value in a resume -- find out for sure (this is where your networking connections will come in handy). In addition to getting expert advice, make sure your resume is 100% typo free, contains lots of keywords relevant to your industry and includes any leadership experience you've had.
I hope this advice is helpful. Good luck!
Lindsey
If you are reading this blog post and have a question of your own, post it in the Comments section and I will answer in an upcoming post.
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@Carmen Lund and @GL Hoffman - Thank you for the positive feedback!
Lindsey
Posted by: Lindsey Pollak | March 10, 2009 at 08:18 AM
What a great article. I am sending it on to my Gen Y son in NYC, thanks.
Posted by: Carmen Lund | March 10, 2009 at 07:32 AM
Great post, Lindsay. They are going to need as much help as they can get this year.
gl hoffman
Posted by: gl hoffman | March 09, 2009 at 11:21 PM