In today’s economy just graduating college with a degree won’t cut it anymore.
Millennials face one of the highest unemployment rates in decades and nearly 44 percent of millennials are underemployed, often working in low-wage or part-time jobs.
So if you’re sending a child to college this month (or you’re off in college yourself), it may be wise to send them with some advice.
What can your child do to make sure they get the job of his/her dreams after graduation?
TIP #1 Build a team
My job in the academic support department of a major university required me to recruit, hire and manage tutors for pre-medical undergraduates.
In that role, what particularly stood out to me was which students would show up first to obtain a tutor. Without fail, it was always the A student walking through the door during the first week of class.
Invariably, the B students would show up mid-semester while the C and D students would wait until the semester was almost over before admitting they needed help.
Too often, the struggling students believed that they were supposed to be tackling this college thing all by themselves. For them, seeking help was a sign of weakness.
The most successful college students, however, understood that college is a team sport. In order, to achieve the grades employers salivate over, it’s important to build your team early.
At the beginning of the semester, advise your college student to visit with his/her career counselor. Sign up for a tutor. Schedule time at the writing center. Make a point to visit the teaching assistants, and, above all, become acquainted with the professor and take advantage of their office hours.
TIP #2 Start networking early
It’s not always what you know, but who you know that counts.
Consider this: Studies suggest between 40 to 70 percent of all jobs are fulfilled through networking. Building a wide network of contacts will open new doors of opportunities as you graduate.
But networking efforts shouldn’t be limited to fellow classmates. Professors, for example, often have deep industry connections which can benefit your child. Furthermore, the career placement or alumni office frequently will be able to connect your child with alumni in your intended career field.
The network your child develops as an undergrad will become a secret weapon for crushing the job search, but you have to focus on building that network beginning the first day you step foot on campus.
TIP #3 Prove themselves in the real world
Your child may look good on paper, but employers also want to know that they can handle themselves in the real world. That’s why students who complete internships enjoy an inside track to obtaining great jobs after college.
A study by The Chronicle of Education and The American Public Media discovered that employers place the greatest weight in their hiring decisions on internships, valuing them even more than grades or a student’s particular major.
That’s why one of the first moves your child should make is visiting your campus career center early in the semester. Applying and obtaining an internship can be a time consuming endeavor, but it is well worth the effort.
According to the 2016 National Association of Colleges and Employers Internship and Co-op survey, nearly 73 percent of interns working at paid internships/co-ops at private, for-profit companies received at least one job offer upon graduation, whereas only 36.5 percent of those without internship experiences received job offers upon graduation.
TIP #4 Develop Their Skills
Making good grades is essential, but many students are so busy trying to earn A’s that they fail to develop the crucial skills employers desire.
A National Association of Colleges and Employers survey found that more than 80 percent of employers search for leadership skills on a candidate’s resume.
Just as important, the survey indicated that employers look for evidence that a job candidate possesses problem solving skills, displays great written and oral communications skills and can work in a team.
Whether it’s in class or through extracurricular activities, it’s crucial that your child develops these critical skills to help them obtain a great job after graduation—or else, be prepared for them to move back in with you.
BMWK, what advice would you give undergraduates to prepare for the job market?