Finding a Job after College

Like clockwork each year, graduating students are faced with the same challenge:  finding a job after college.  We're not talking about summer work or temporary assignments.  We mean permanent positions that leverage the skills and learning that students have acquired while in school.

Now that you have all this knowledge, the problem boils down to one of marketability.  In case you've never taken a marketing or advertising class in school, let us clear this up.  Finding a job after college is all about advertising.  You're selling something; the skills and the knowledge you've obtained in college.  All you need is someone to buy what you're selling.

Career Centers at College

It's naive to think that your skills or a college diploma will sell themselves.  That doesn't happen anymore because a greater proportion of workers in America have college diplomas.  According to 2008 Census information, nearly 30% of the adult population over 25 has at least their bachelor's degree.

Unfortunately, most students don't take advantage of one of the single most important resources available to them - their very own college career center.  Now maybe you think that you're too cool to be caught in your college's career center.  Maybe you're afraid that your college friends will tease you, or make you the focal point of their jokes.  Well, the joke's on them because the students taking advantage of the career center have a networking edge that others don't.

Finding a Job via Networking

By visiting the center and networking with the counselors working there, all those "dorks" are positioning themselves for a shot at a great job.  You know what is really cool?  Finding a great job right after college and telling all your buddies about it.  Even better is the feeling you get when you land a job before graduating.

The career center has access to hiring managers and human resources persons around the country.  They can tell you about the hot jobs because companies are calling them looking for graduating students.  They set up the job fairs, and wouldn't it be nice if the counselor knew you by name and called you when they had a lead on the job you've been looking for?  That's networking at its best.

Resumes for College Students

In case you've missed the boat on the networking opportunity, that's okay because here comes another big tip to help you find a job after college.  The advertisement you need to work on is your resume.

Some of you might be saying to yourself:  That's crazy talk; all I have are summer jobs that aren't even related to the job I want now.  If that's true, then you are in the same situation as many of your fellow college graduates, and companies understand this happens.

Here comes the challenge.  If you're in the same situation as many other graduating students, then how can you separate yourself from the rest of the pack?  The answer is pretty simple - use the right resume format.  You need to choose a resume format that allows you to highlight your skills and knowledge, and at the same time downplays your lack of experience.

Functional Resume Format

The resume format that most college students should use is the functional resume.  The advantage that the functional resume style offers college students is that it deemphasizes work history.  That's because a functional format leads off with a description of the skills and knowledge you possess, not a reverse chronological account of where you've worked.

The functional resume format allows college students to lead with their strengths.  All that coursework you've completed, and all that theory is still fresh in your brain.  You need to convince the hiring manager that you are ready to put it to good use at their company.

Keep in mind that even unrelated work experience is useful for a college student.  It demonstrates that you are responsible, disciplined, and it suggests that you have experience with supervisors or managers.  You can always emphasize the fact that you showed up to work on time, and got along with others, regardless of the type of job you've held in the past.

Don't forget to take a look at the additional resources we've listed above.  Those articles are aligned with the approaches suggested in this article for college students, and should hopefully make finding a job a little more efficient.

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