California Job Search for New Graduates

“So what are you going to do?"

That is the burning question posed by friends, family members, and faculty to upcoming graduates. However, picking a career is not always easy; furthermore, it is not automatic that because you graduate from college that jobs are waiting for the taking. Competition is steep; technology is ever changing, and the job market is unpredictable.

So what can you do to make sure you are not left sleeping on your parents’ couch after commencement?

For starters, plan ahead.

While you are still in school, you are around a lot of free or inexpensive resources, so use them. For example, head to the Career Center and get help on preparing your resume. Having an updated resume, in the proper format is essential, as your resume is the first thing future employers will see. In addition, the Career Center is the place that students can get career counseling, information on job fairs, and access to online job boards, such as MonsterTrak. There are many job boards available depending on your career interest, such as, entertainmentcareers.net, for those who want jobs in the film or television field. Also, if you have a dream company you would like to work for, check out their website. Nowadays, company websites have a direct link where applicants can upload there resume, and search job openings.

WHAT TO EXPECT?

A lot of people will get their first post-college job because of who they know, not necessarily what they know, or what they can offer. For the rest of us, we have to search countless want ads, via the newspaper, or online databases. Surprisingly, during your search you will probably notice that you are not qualified for a lot of jobs in your major field. This is because you do not have enough work experience. Do not necessarily let that detour you. You can submit your resume anyway, let them reject you, do not reject yourself. It is my experience that resumes are passed to various departments. Therefore, there is a chance that even though you did not qualify for your target position, the same company may contact you for a different position.