recent college grad, cannot find job?
Question by katrina: recent college grad, cannot find job?
What am I doing wrong? I got the B.A. and i’ve applied at close to 20 places with no call backs. I’ve called a couple of them and they said they’d call me to let me know, and again, no call back. I realize this isn’t exactly the best time for recent grads but man. I’ve been looking for 2 months. Has anyone had similar experiences, and if so what should I be doing differently? how can I stand among the thousands of applicants vying for the same position with same set of skills? Any suggestions welcome!
i live in a little town called grand junction in colorado. I know 2 months isn’t that long, and I also know that 20 places is not many. Thanks everyone for your answers. I just thought maybe i was doing something wrong since I wasn’t getting any bites. great advice tailoring my resume to fit the job discription i didn’t really think about that.
Best answer:
Answer by bob
iv’e been out 6 months now its because the recession no one working
What do you think? Answer below!
September 14th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Unfortunately, there are huge numbers of recent graduates looking for jobs, and, as you know, the economy is in such a poor state at the moment, there are simply not enough jobs for everyone.
It’s disappointing when potential employers don’t follow up, but you have to get used to that.
Persevere in applying for jobs and something will come up eventually.
Ask friends and relatives to help you in making sure that your resume looks impressive and with interview advice etc.
September 14th, 2010 at 10:11 am
There are many people on Y/A who want to help others get a job, possibly at where they work. Number one problem – nobody ever says area which they live. How can someone help if they don’t know what part of company you are in. I am just a recent retired person but I have contacts where I used to work. You can email me if you want.
September 14th, 2010 at 10:30 am
My response may surprise you but 20 places is far from adequate in this economy. If you apply to 100 companies and you get an offer, you should feel fortunate. Are you customizing your resume to each job description? A lot of companies these days rely on keyword search before an HR staff takes a look at resumes. For example, let’s say you are applying for a Credit Analyst position at a prominent bank in NY. Key words for this type of position may be ANALYST, LOANS, SECURED, UNSECURED, FINANCIAL, and UNDERWRITE. You cannot lie on your resume but if your internship experience is remotely related to the position, you should use these terms to describe your responsibilities. A good strategy is to look at the job description for the position and underline the key words. Next, look at your past experience and educational background to see if there is any correlation. If so, tailor your resume to suit the position. If you do not have previous work experience in banking, try to list all your relevant accounting or finance coursework on your resume. Ideally, the employer may want to hire someone with a background in banking but it might also be willing to take a chance on someone without it as long as the individual is strong in accounting.
You should not unilaterally hit the “SUBMIT” link on the website hoping to get a call. This is really ineffective especially in this type of market. Also, 2 months of job search is not long at all. Some people have been unemployed for a over a year since the debacle unfolded in 2007.
It is not a great job market but hang in there. Good luck!