You’ve Got Your Degree? Now What–Revised- For 1st time College Graduates ©
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Posted By: Vanessa Morrison on June 07, 2017 Congratulations Graduate! While May and June are the typical months for college graduates, you are probably wondering; now that you’ve graduated what do you do next? What should be the next step in finding a job that is aligned with what you graduated in? Do you just go and apply with what sounds good? What is your post-graduation strategy? I’ve listed 5 ways in getting started that will help introduce you to the working world. 1. Career Placement Office – This is a hidden jewel that is not taken advantage of enough. Most of your career placement centers have already developed business relationships with employers who are looking to fill vacant positions and quite a few are considering college graduates. They are a big component of college career fairs, internships and co-ops. Check with your local career placement office and develop a relationship with them. If something is not available at the time, because you’ve developed a relationship with them and often checked in with them, it can work as a win-win solution. 2. Associations and Organizations - Now that you have graduated, check out your school’s alumni association. Associations do just what they are sought out to do. They are a lifeline full of connections through holding activities, events, alumni directories, career resources, discounts on courses, webinars, merchandise, special interest groups, etc. Student organizations are another way that career placement office provides a means to gaining employment. Business organizations, engineering organizations, teacher organizations, medical organizations, Greek organizations and the list goes on and on. Each organization has a contact on the inside that can help you gain credible information and contacts as well as introduce you to internships, scholarships, webinars, etc. As quiet as it is kept belonging to an association or organization can open doors even in a volatile job market. HBCUConnect.com is an excellent resource to make connections. HBCU stands for Historically Black College and Universities. Not only do they provide connections; they also provide networking, professional and educational opportunities as well. To learn more about them go here https://hbcuconnect.com 3. LinkedIn – This mecca of information as the world’s professional networking sight has so many opportunities available for you to become introduced to the business world. Here are some of the ways LinkedIn can serve you: a. Groups b. LinkedIn Learning-Courses c. Live seminars d. LinkedIn News 4. Network – Most people forget this important step and is often overlooked. It is a very powerful tool to use. Network with others in your field, and outside of your field. You never know who knows who; and where it may lead. Even though we are in a pandemic, you can still network and LinkedIn is not your only resource. Some of the most popular networking venues are: a. Facebook-Pick out your specialty and connect with people in your field that interests you. Ex. I belong to a Human Resource Networking Group that shares information such as template documents, suggestions, advice, and more. b. Twitter-Twitter Careers list jobs on a daily basis and is a good way to connect with others in your professional field. c. Meetup-Meetup is a very good source to meet other professionals in your field, one in particular that stands out to me is Public Speaking, Business Professionals among your own interests. 5. Family, Friends and Associates – Don’t overlook your family and friends. Oftentimes, we don’t want anyone to know that we haven’t found that dream job yet or need help in finding one. Nobody likes to see anyone without employment. The last job I had was by way of connecting with someone I knew in college. Keep in touch with your college buddies. You never know who they know, if the company they work for is hiring in the field that you are trying to get in. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Vanessa Morrison
CEO, Maximize Your Job Success Member Since July 2015 |
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