This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Maryland chapter.
There’s one thing no graduating senior likes to be asked, whether it’s coming from an underclassman or a relative at a family gathering. “So what are your plans for next year?” sends a wave of panic through us all. I’ve personally grown tired and frankly offended by this insensitive question and have chosen to take a creative approach in my response. I’m answering with things like, “Oh NASA’s sending me to space,” or “I’m going to be Lady Gaga’s personal assistant” or, if you want one that will really get them bug-eyed, “I’m not graduating.”
But, whether we like it or not, graduation day is looming and pretty soon we will have no choice but to have “plans for next year.” And as May 19 creeps closer and closer, many of us have one thing on the brain: finding a J-O-B. Even with a degree under our belts, many seniors are realizing that finding that perfect job — actually finding any job — is a lot harder than expected.
Despite choosing a major and spending the past four years taking classes, some of us still don’t know what we want to be when we grow up. “I still don’t really know what career path I want to pursue,” said Allix Karas, a senior marketing major. “There is a lot of pressure from my peers and teachers and faculty to figure this out and it often seems like everyone else is set in what they want to pursue.”
For those like Karas who are unsure about what an ideal fit may be, Career/Transfer Coordinator at Montgomery College Roberta Buckberg said her “strongest advice is find[ing] people who do whatever you’re interested in.” Even if you aren’t set on a particular career, you still have interests, likes and dislikes, so use them to connect with people in a field that interests you.
Buckberg also suggested setting up informational interviews where you contact an employer for a chance to interview them. Although they may not be hiring, you’re familiarizing yourself with the field and, more importantly, you’re showing interest and initiative. Employers will remember this when they are hiring.
Even if you’ve got a dream job in mind, there’s really no secret to getting it, at least not right away.
“You have to be willing to take a job that’s not exactly ideal,” said Maryland alumna Katie Snider. “You might start at the bottom doing something you originally didn’t set out to do.”
Snider graduated last year with a degree in broadcast journalism — but no job. “I freaked out for about two months,” she said. But Snider quickly tapped into her network, contacting employers who she had interned for in the past. She eventually landed a job as a production assistant at WUSA9, a local television station where she interned just a year before. Although Snider’s 3 a.m. to 12 p.m. shift was far from ideal, she said the experience helped her get the job she has now covering sports for Rosenblum TV.
While networking is everything in a field like journalism, other more conventional fields may involve a more formal application process. “I’ve started applying for jobs by finding HR departments’ e-mail addresses on company websites and e-mailing them my resume and cover letter,” said Karas. Not sure where to look? Karas suggested checking out sites like www.monster.com and www.indeed.com to look for openings.
Regardless of what field you’re looking in, if you’ve got a dream job or you’re still trying to narrow it down, here’s one piece of advice we can all follow: Clean up your Facebook.
“Employees are Googling potential employees,” said Buckberg. “Delete all of your pictures with anything inappropriate.”
Hey, and if all else fails, there’s always graduate school.