In the News: Go-Getters Get the Jobs

There was a great article in the Wall Street Journal Online earlier this week, with job searching tips aimed at college students. Here’s the advice from their career experts:

• Use your youth to your advantage

Sure, new hires right out of college may be down by as much as 25% this year, but recent college graduates still have some things going for them: “Recent graduates tend to be more flexible than more-established workers. Without the burden of a mortgage, a spouse and children, many graduates are willing to take a less-than-perfect job that is located in a less-desirable city or may require significant travel or has a lower salary than an experienced hire would accept.”

• Be creative in your resume-writing

Focus on accomplishments, particularly in the realm of leadership experience. In fact, the article advises broadening the definition of “experience” beyond work and internships to include sports and volunteer activities.

• Network with gusto

In addition to networking in traditional ways such as attending industry conferences, WSJ also suggests reaching out in unconventional ways. Tap your parents’ friends (remember, you’re asking for advice, not a job), your alumni database, and even “cold” networking through social networking sites like LinkedIn.

The article also mentioned the value of internships, a topic we’ve covered extensively here on the JobMonkey blog. If you want to learn more about interning for credit (or for cash), check out the JobMonkey section on college student internships.