If you’re a college senior, you’re probably experiencing some anxiety or uncertainty about life after graduation. Many companies have hiring freezes in place, employees are being laid off or furloughed and a large percentage of the population is working from home. In-person job interviews won’t be happening for the foreseeable future. Now is not the best time to enter the workforce. However, there are ways to ensure that the timing of your college graduation doesn’t hinder your future career.
Get a Summer Internship
Although there will likely be fewer summer internship opportunities this year, you should not be discouraged. First, check with your college career center. Your career center can provide resources, such as resume help and practice interviews, to help with your search. Create alerts on job boards and craft a professional online profile on sites such as LinkedIn. Read our recent post on finding a summer internship for more information.
It’s Okay to Take a Break
A short break between graduation and starting your job search is perfectly fine. Any reasonable employer will understand a brief gap between your graduation date and the search your first job or internship. During your summer break you can choose to take free online courses to beef up your knowledge. Another great way to spend your free time is to volunteer. There are many volunteer opportunities to be found, including virtual volunteer positions.
Any Job Can Propel Your Career
Although many businesses are laying off workers, other companies are in need of more workers to meet demands of those stocking up on essentials. Grocery store clerks, personal shoppers and delivery drivers are some positions currently in high demand. Although these may be temporary or part-time jobs not related to your major, they can still help propel your career forward. Any job provides proof of qualities (promptness, conscientiousness, etc.) necessary for a good employee.
Consider Graduate School
You shouldn’t go to graduate school just to avoid entering the workforce. However, if you have already considered grad school you may want to start researching different programs. Graduate school can be very beneficial to your career if many others in your chosen industry have advanced degrees. Not only will you be more competitive in the job market, but you’ll likely earn more money. Remember, there is no guarantee that the job market will be better when you finish graduate school so you should make sure a graduate degree will offer benefits beyond delaying your entry to the workforce.
The new coronavirus has changed the world a great deal with just a few months. The way we work may be changed permanently. Some jobs that have been lost may not come back. Luckily, your graduation year does not have to define your career path. You can still achieve career success by searching for internships, taking an in-demand job to beef up your resume, volunteering and/or applying to graduate programs.
This is so helpful! As someone who just graduated this month, I can say that this advice is solid. I especially liked the point you made about taking any job because no experience is beneath you. In fact, I just had a conversation with one of my previous internship bosses the other day about how sometimes we have to just take a job to prove to ourselves we can do it. And I personally believe that you CAN get skills and experience from part-time jobs like this.
Thanks for sharing!