Job-Search Strategies for New College Graduates - Sterling Career Concepts

Job-Search Strategies for New College Graduates Job-Search Strategies for New College Graduates Guest Post By Kris Plantrich, ResumeWonders Its that time of the year when new graduates receive their diplomas and launch themselves into a career search. For many new graduates who didnt begin preparing for their job searches while still in school, the question is, Ive graduatednow what? Some students might have taken advantage of their college career centers, and they probably received counseling and valuable career tools to get their job search started right. A college career center is a great place to learn about career fairs and internships. It is estimated that 60% of interns are asked to stay on permanently after graduation, so it is well worth looking into the assistance that career centers can provide. Plus, internships give students an opportunity to experience what it will be like to work in their chosen profession. Internships can also provide opportunities for impressive references after graduation. Students who choose not to take advantage of early preparation can still get ahead of other graduates by taking time now to prepare before launching their job search. You first need to decide on the direction to focus your career search. Many students are still unsure even after graduation. Making a list of potential industries and positions and conducting preliminary research is a good way to find out where your interests lie. If you are very unclear in your focus, I suggest hiring a career coach. Career coaches are very effective and have wonderful tools and exercises that can help you realize your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. Tools such as behavioral assessments, and job search plans help all job seekers, including new graduates, move forward and get organized in their search. Start digging deeper by researching companies, industries, and even managers, giving you a better feel for the work environment, and company expectations as well as a feel for what the daily job will entail. Check out local industry newspapers and magazines, develop contacts that can provide information and insight, and even look at the competition as a valuable source of information to help in narrowing your decision. Expanding your contacts and developing a network that you can rely on may be the most critical move in finding a job in the field youve chosen. Utilize both professional and social networking forums to expand your contacts; look up old friends, alumni and employers; join organizations and associations and get connected! You should make use of online networks too, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as local groups such as your chamber association to make connections in the right places. For those fresh out of college, the job market can be an exciting, competitive arena offering great promise and opportunity for those who take the time to prepare for the launch of their careers. The above will help you focus your job search efforts to ultimately help you find the right job! Kris Plantrich is a Certified Career Coach, Résumé Writer and the owner of  ResumeWonders Writing and Career Coaching Services