My first thought after typing out the title on how to navigate the post-grad job search is: well, it seems like I haven’t been. I feel that this mentality is common among us soon-to-be graduates.
My first point of realization is that finding a job is hard. It’s so hard! Because even if you know exactly what you want to do (which I don’t), knowing where to look, what to search for and applying are all difficult and time-consuming steps.
I graduate in May 2023, and I began looking for jobs in December 2022. I applied to a few on a whim on LinkedIn. At that point, I thought I wanted to work as a Communications Coordinator.
I’ve been lucky to get to work in two different paid internships during my undergrad, and a lot of the work I have experienced in those roles is work I have enjoyed and believe would translate into something like a Communications Coordinator, Communications Specialist or Communications-based role.
I’m getting my degree in public relations in May, and though my degree will be in public relations, most of my experienced has dabbled in organizational PR with a large focus on general communications skills such as writing, presentations, interviewing, social media content creation and things like that.
I’ve taken two senior PR classes (well, one last semester and I’m finishing up the other now) and have enjoyed aspects specific to PR such as strategic planning, campaign creation and media relations.
After being so set on entering a general communications coordinator role for a medium-sized organization and sticking to what I know, I began to question if that’s what I truly want to do post-grad.
I’m from a small town and hope to move to Chicago in the fall of 2023, so summer internships are kind of off my radar because I want to find an opportunity in the city and am unable to commute and honestly, am not ready to move there so soon.
After doing a lot of thinking and soul searching, I decided to pause my aimless applying and began thinking more about public relations agency work, something I thought I was not interested in.
I began to reach out to a few professors I am fond of and another connection I made with a guest speaker. I talked with them about what I had been doing, what I think I want to do, and asked them for advice.
What I received from going out and doing this was far more helpful than aimlessly applying for jobs. Not only did I receive advice and reassurance, but 2/3 of the connections I met with told me they would either look out for anything they think would be of interest to me or offered me real connections to professionals in the industry I am looking into.
I guess the point of my story, and the realization that I wanted to share, is that in my industry specifically, A LOT of job opportunities come from networking, connections and who you know. I’ve felt a shift in my confidence and have received a feeling of “everything is going to be okay” after leaning on and connecting with the network of professionals I have available. Aimlessly applying for jobs that I wasn’t even sure I wanted shifted to connecting with real people and having meaningful conversations.
I’m not saying that applying to jobs isn’t going to help secure a post-grad job, because obviously applying for a job is how you eventually get one, but if you’re someone who has been struggling with what you think you want to do post-grad, worrying about the big change in your life and worrying about getting a job, I would encourage you to pause, take a breath and start connecting with those around you.
I am lucky that in my time at Illinois State, I have had great mentors, professors and professionals that have made themselves available to me. In the little time I have left, I want to continue to hear their stories, advice and connect with them. Not only will these relationships and conversations potentially help me find a job post-grad, but they have given me peace of mind and have expanded my network.
All in all, now that I have a better sense of direction and have formed new relationships, I will continue to apply for jobs. But now, I feel a stronger sense of what I want, I have expanded my network, and I know that even if I don’t land that dream post-grad job right away, I will find something that is right for me soon enough, and it’s not something I should be worrying about so heavily right now.