Meagan and I were speaking about our new book, Generations Inc. – From Boomers To Linksters, Managing the Friction Between Generations At Work

at Gannon University in Erie, PA recently when a student asked us about the daunting job market she was facing when she graduates this year. It inspired Meagan to write an article for her blog and she asked me to post it on this one.

GET A JOB! Nine things every college graduate should know to find a job in 2010

By Meagan Johnson

“Your diploma isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.”

“Your degree and a dollar will get you a bus ride across town.”

“Don’t move out of mom & dad’s house too soon, there are no jobs
available.”

“ ‘Want fries with that?’ is the only job you will be lucky enough
to find.”

Sound familiar? If you are a recent college grad, or thinking
about postponing graduation because the job market seems so bleak,
you may have heard some of these comments.

It’s nothing I didn’t hear when I graduated from college back in
1993! The country was in the middle of a recession and the media
was full of stories about college graduates swimming in student
loan debt but nowhere to work. I couldn’t believe that I had just
wasted four years going to college, only to be qualified for a job
that included managing a drive thru window.

A month after graduation, I was complaining about my blighted
future to my dad as I lay by my parent’s pool. (Yes, like many
college graduates and Gen Yers, today, I stayed at home as long as
I could.) I was whining about there being no jobs available, so he
gave me some sage advice. “You will never find a job if you do not
look for a job. (Duh)”

And he was right, so, chagrinned, I followed his advice and began
searching. Within 30 days I had landed a position as a sales
representative for Quaker Oats. The job included a company car
and paid more than I had made up to that point in my entire life.
(Gen Yers: I know many of you are more motivated by humanitarian
efforts than money, but I am a Gen Xer who came of age in the
decadent 80s, so for me, money was a motivator.)

I concede that it was a different time, and I was probably lucky.
The statistics today are grim. According to a survey conducted by
Monster.com, only 46% of organizations intend to hire any 2010
graduates at all. But, if you do decide to look, here are a few
things you can do to increase your chances of joining the ranks of
the employed.

1. Register on Jobsearch Websites: The number of websites
available to the job searcher is mind-blowing. There are the
obvious ones, like Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, Craigslist,
LinkedIn, and Jobing.com – but there are also many sites designed
for the recent college graduate like CollegeRecruiter.com,
CollegeGrad.com, AfterCollege.com, CampusCareerCenter.com and
CoolWorks.com.

2. Use the Career Center on your college campus. It’s staffed with
people who want to help you. Be sure to sign up early. Most
college students wait until the month of graduation before even
finding out where the Career Center is located on campus. If you
approach them early in your college career, the advisors can help
you choose a major, and find part-time work in your area of
interest, long before graduation. Having the right part-time
college job can often line you up for a nice full time one after
graduation. The Career Center can also aid in writing your resume
and some will even conduct mock interviews with you to help you
hone your interviewing skills. Ellie, a Gen Y college graduate,
spent her senior year volunteering at her campus’ career center.
She was able to meet all the recruiters and gained valuable
insights just from listening to what the recruiters had to say
about candidates and interviewees. She also bagged a job after
graduation from one of the many contacts she made with recruiters.

3. Join Professional associations connected to your industry.
These organizations provide services like continuing education
units, legal representation and career development, while at the
same time, exposing you to potential employers. Additionally, this
is a good time to do it. Many associations are struggling to
attract young new members and would probably work with you to
discount some of your membership fees.

More importantly, get involved with at least one professional
association – and I mean, heavily involved. You’ll maximize the
return on your membership by volunteering to help with projects,
sitting on committees, and participating with chapter governance.
Most associations have both national and state chapters. You can
start at the chapter level and then get involved in the national.

4. Clean up your online image. The First Amendment may allow us to
put what we want on our Facebook pages, but it’s what more and
more employers are checking before hiring. Here is what a Senior
Vice President of a large wholesale distribution company said
about a recent hire. “Once I had read the candidate’s resume, I
went to LinkedIn and checked out his profile. I noticed his
interests aligned with most of our staff, so we brought him in for
an interview and eventually hired him.” Lesson: Put your best
foot forward on line, and save the picture of you mooning the
camera during spring break in Mexico for the scrapbook. Remember,
what you publish is what potential employers may, and often will
see.

5. Write a great resume. Most of us would rather visit the dentist
than write our own resume. In many cases, your resume will be what
a potential employer uses to decide if they should even invite you
in for an interview. It’s a vital marketing tool in your job
search efforts. Put aside at least three hours to draft it and
make the mental decision that writing an excellent resume is an
exciting challenge rather than a dreaded task.

Cover letter: A sharp and clever cover letter can launch your
resume to the top of the pile. A cover letter is not a repeat of
your resume but a summary of what you want the potential employer
to know right away. Cover letters can be more creative and fun
than your resume. Don’t be afraid to include the company’s logo, a
famous quote that ties into the company’s mission statement, and a
P.S. at the bottom that drives home the major contribution you can
offer to their cause. The key is to demonstrate to the employer
you know something about the company, what they are looking for
and why you are a good match.

The Body of the Resume: The mission statement of your resume
should not be a general Will Work For Food Type of statement. It
should reflect the type of job you are applying for. Your mission
statement can include the position’s title such as sales
representative, the industry in which you are applying and even
specific location such as city and state. Many organizations have
information about the kind of personalities they are looking for
on their company websites. Tweak your resume to reflect the
language of the organization. Remember resumes are not a one size
fits all; you will need to customize each resume that you send
out.

What is your secret weapon? What makes you unique or a little bit
different than all your peers applying for the same job? It could
be the volunteer work you do at the animal shelter or the fact you
can complete the Sunday Times crossword puzzle in ink. Whatever it
is, include a brief statement at the end of your resume or cover
letter.

The Quality of the Resume: Do more than spell check it. To catch
mistakes, print and read it out-loud, word for word to someone
else. Then have a friend who’s good at proof reading proof it, or
have a professional proofreader check it. There are numerous
on-line proof reading services that, for a nominal cost will
review your document to catch errors in grammar, punctuation,
spelling, and syntax. Numerous employers complain that they often
receive resumes and cover letters filled with typos, spelling
errors and other egregious mistakes that usually disqualify the
applicant immediately.

6. Dress for the interview: Find out what the norm of dress is for
the organization and then dress in a similar, well-polished
version of it. A recent college grad we know learned that the
woman with whom she was interviewing always matched her skirt
color with the color of her hose and shoes. The candidate showed
up for the interview wearing blue hose, blue shoes and a blue
skirt combined with a tasteful blue outfit. She got the job.

7. Do your homework. Never go to an interview without first
visiting the company’s website and understanding the nature of its
business. Bring multiple copies of your resume, a list of your
references and some prepared questions about the company and job.
The questions should not be about salary, vacation time or the
benefits you’ll get. They should reflect that you have done
research on the company. If possible, speak to people who are
already in the industry and ask them about their challenges, this
will help you formulate good questions.

8. Mail a thank you letter. This means write a letter, put it into
an envelope, lick a stamp and snail mail it to the person that
conducted the interview. It may seem old-fashion, but it conveys
that you were willing to do more than whip out a text message or
dash off an e-mail. Thank the person for their time and reiterate
your interest in the job.

9. UGH! It is not my dream job. Consider taking it anyway. It’s a
job, not a marriage. Plain and simple jobs are not meant to last.
You may discover you really like the job or it may not be as bad
as you think. Ask yourself:

o Will I work with people who are different from me?
This can be a great opportunity. Working with ethnically and
generationally diverse people helps you to see the world in new
ways. It’s like traveling abroad without leaving home.

o Will the experience I have at this job build my
credibility with other employers? Even if the job is not in the
field to which you aspire, employers look favorably on applicants
who can bring a depth of experience to a job. When I started
college, I did not dream that all my hard work would gain me the
prestigious title “Space Manager,” which was the official title
given to all entry level sales people at Quaker Oats. But I took
it because the offer was too good to refuse. And the truth is, I
HATED it. Working a real job was an experience nobody can explain
and no class can prepare you for. I was thrilled when after a
year, Quaker Oats eliminated my position and laid-off all the
entry-level sales reps. But I will never regret having worked
there. It opened doors for me and laid the groundwork for what I
do, and love to do today.