3 Tips to Making Your Life Semi-Fulfilling After College
Life is tough, especially going from super active campus activities to moderately exciting nights at home when your favorite TV series is on. I could direct you all to a slew of self-help books and inspiring speeches about how to succeed in life, but that wouldn't get someone very far when they are still at home looking for jobs.
1. Internships/Volunteer -Try and create one. Email everyone you can in a field you are interested in and plow ahead. Work to create something meaningful to do with your time. The more you can do something active with your time, then go forward and work. Do something preferably within your field. Manage a website, do something with your time. But get off the couch!
2. Try something you've always wanted to do- If you want to create something to do for yourself. Write that novel you've been dying to write. Start a blog about how to find a job or learn how to play the trombone. Beating the Ice Level on Zelda is probably not a good idea because that doesn't get you out of the house, but you get the gist.
3. Figure out what "networking" means to you-Networking doesn't have to be going to convention centers with a fake smile and a glass of bad fruit punch looking for a job. Using tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogger, and even Facebook streamline the process. If you are like me and you to talk to real people, informational interviews are a great way to start. Just start with a Google search with people in your area and go from there. I know not everyone has a famous aunt or godfather twice removed who will get you the dream job, I don't. The important thing is to get your name out there, some how some way. Another option is to find a networking group in your area. Just Google or do a search, ask a local career center. Chances are they'll point you in some good direction.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Day 1: Can you find legitimate jobs on the internet...more specifically Craigslist?
This is the story of one individual, on a mission. A mission filled with laughter, tears, love, heartache, and betrayal. One woman's mission to find an inner strength within herself to find...employment.
Hi folks. This is a story, specifically about me, because I, as a self-entitled 20-something with access to a computer and having a college degree decided to mark this journey. Here's a little bit about myself. I graduated as a double major in English and History, summa cum laude, yadda yadda yadda. I then decided, without having any specific career path or knowing what I wanted to do, went to law school. Eventually, I got sick of hating what I did every morning and so I withdrew. Although chances of employment might- but read blogs like http://www.notolawschool.com/ and you'll find that having a license in law does not guarantee employment. So now, the job search starts. This is a place just to catalog what I'm going through and tips to start off with.
Things I've learnt today:
1. Living at home unemployed and happy -- if you are a recent college graduate --- is a lot better than being in grad school for a degree you either a) cannot stand or b) cannot market.
2. Craigslist is an actually viable option. That's right, Craiglist...of all the places I would choose to look, Craigslist was not one of them. Don't ask why but well there it is.
3. There are such things as resume robots. Keep in mind that I just started the job search and yes, probably didn't utilize my college's career center well enough, but! There are such things as resume robots. That use key terms...so look at the job description and put those key terms into your application.
4. Websites will tell you different, but internships are hard to get as a recent graduate. Sure, a lot of sites say, "Find your own internship." Wrong! Most places want college students with credit. And the whole make your own internship is hard to do if you don't know where to begin. My advice? Work with anyone and everything you've ever known if you are lucky enough to be in that position. Alas, I am not. But! If your dad is Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or your mom is the queen of a small Pacific Island, then use those contacts!
5. If at first you don't succeed, reapply, reapply again. Re-tailor your resume again to that dream position and keep going for it if you are qualified. Now applying for a Google executive position that requires 50 years of experience and a 100 million dollar net worth...probably not realistic. But! If you believe you fall within the descriptions of "this needed, this skill a plus" then go for it. The worst anyone can say is no...or give you a restraining order.
Hi folks. This is a story, specifically about me, because I, as a self-entitled 20-something with access to a computer and having a college degree decided to mark this journey. Here's a little bit about myself. I graduated as a double major in English and History, summa cum laude, yadda yadda yadda. I then decided, without having any specific career path or knowing what I wanted to do, went to law school. Eventually, I got sick of hating what I did every morning and so I withdrew. Although chances of employment might- but read blogs like http://www.notolawschool.com/ and you'll find that having a license in law does not guarantee employment. So now, the job search starts. This is a place just to catalog what I'm going through and tips to start off with.
Things I've learnt today:
1. Living at home unemployed and happy -- if you are a recent college graduate --- is a lot better than being in grad school for a degree you either a) cannot stand or b) cannot market.
2. Craigslist is an actually viable option. That's right, Craiglist...of all the places I would choose to look, Craigslist was not one of them. Don't ask why but well there it is.
3. There are such things as resume robots. Keep in mind that I just started the job search and yes, probably didn't utilize my college's career center well enough, but! There are such things as resume robots. That use key terms...so look at the job description and put those key terms into your application.
4. Websites will tell you different, but internships are hard to get as a recent graduate. Sure, a lot of sites say, "Find your own internship." Wrong! Most places want college students with credit. And the whole make your own internship is hard to do if you don't know where to begin. My advice? Work with anyone and everything you've ever known if you are lucky enough to be in that position. Alas, I am not. But! If your dad is Bill Gates, Donald Trump, or your mom is the queen of a small Pacific Island, then use those contacts!
5. If at first you don't succeed, reapply, reapply again. Re-tailor your resume again to that dream position and keep going for it if you are qualified. Now applying for a Google executive position that requires 50 years of experience and a 100 million dollar net worth...probably not realistic. But! If you believe you fall within the descriptions of "this needed, this skill a plus" then go for it. The worst anyone can say is no...or give you a restraining order.
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