5 Job Search Tips for Post-Grads During COVID-19

We know the post-grad life. It’s tough to find a job after graduation under normal circumstances, but it’s going to be even worse for recent graduates now that we’re in an economic crisis brought on by our current pandemic. USA Today points out that, “Nearly 4 million college students are expected to graduate next month [and enter] into an economic landscape that the Coronavirus pandemic has rendered unrecognizable.” Due to social distancing, and fear of spreading the virus, many companies have initiated a hiring hold and aren’t bringing in new employees. This has put even more pressure on recent post-grads to get creative in their job search.

 

Use LinkedIn

Networking has been, and still remains, the best way to find your next position. Though you can’t grab a cup of coffee with contacts made while in school, networking is still possible. While we’re all at home, you can utilize social networking sites to talk with people who work for companies and industries that match your interests. LinkedIn is your best bet for digital networking during our social distancing period. The key to successful LinkedIn networking is to connect by sending a personalized message to those you follow. Networking, much like the interview process, is like dating. There has to be the right connection, vibe, chemistry, etc. To start off on the right foot, your message should be customized and personable to each person you’re reaching out to. Find out if they like coffee or wine, their favorite sports team, or if they have children. Any of these topics can be a great opener in your note to them and soften them to your digital approach.

 

Consider Entrepreneurship

Now might be the time to start a consulting business or other side-hustle you considered when making your list of jobs to apply to after college. We all know entry-level positions provide only decent living wages, so a side-job was probably on your mind already. With social distancing, the opportunities for remote work have expanded to full-time openings, as opposed to part-time. With the flexible hours that remote work provides, freelancing is even more possible for dreamers. Additionally, there are financial resources to assist freelancers during this health and economic crisis. Freelance opportunities can also be found on sites when searching “Remote Work” online. It’s the ideal time to consider entrepreneurship.

 

Focus Your Target Companies

While attending your last semester at school, you’ve most likely been hyper-focused on discovering your specialty. Take that a step further and establish your professional brand (who you are in the working world). This will help when looking for the right team culture match. You’ll want to choose a company that shares your values. Make a list of companies in your specialized industry and look them up to see if they’re still hiring, then identify if they’re thriving despite the health crisis. If not, they may have affiliate companies in a separate industry that share your values and may be a temporary placement until your ideal company on the list is able to start hiring again. When working with a partnering company, you’ll already have your foot in the door to network and work your way in when they’re available. And any experience is better than none to pad your résumé.

 

Learn – And Practice – Your Elevator Pitch

“What’s an Elevator Pitch?” you may be asking. An elevator pitch is a 30-45 second introduction of yourself as a professional. It should be snappy, share your personality in two or three sentences, explain your experience and skills, your goals and objectives, and cover your educational background (your recently-earned degree). Practicing this will come in handy many times during your career. As you refine your elevator pitch, you’ll learn it will become your answer to the interview question “tell me about yourself,” which you’ll be asked a lot during your job search. The elevator pitch is especially important as a post-grad without any prior professional experience. It’s quick and efficient way to sell yourself to job prospects.

 

Fine-Tune Your Résumé and Cover Letter

Something we can all be grateful for is we now have the time to hone the skill of writing these. For post-grads who don’t have a lot of previous work experience to put on a résumé or boast about in a cover letter, you can benefit from spending a little extra time on these. Without prior experience to rely on, recent graduates must rely on skills, education, volunteer experience or internships, and exemplary writing skills. Your writing will be your sales pitch to get the interview where you’ll have a better opportunity to go into more detail about what you can do with your newly earned knowledge from university. Fine-tune those essential documents with your professional cred!

 

Take this opportunity to prepare and stay optimistic. It will be difficult, but not impossible for post-grads to land your first job in the coming year. For more tips on job searching through our current economic climate, keep up with our news and job postings on pdxMindShare!