Many readers have been emailing me about We’ve all heard the very fun to read definition of a recession on the news the past few months but what does it really mean for a college student?
Harder to find work after your college graduation
It will take you much longer than anticipated to find that first job after college. If you’re like me then you probably went into college thinking that you will put in your time and immediately be compensated with a job upon completion. Well that’s further from the truth than you could imagine. Not only do you have to hustle to find that first job you also have to put up with more failures than Toronto Maple Leafs fans.
You may have to settle for a job that is lower than your expectations
You may complete college with a very high grade point average but that doesn’t mean you’re going to become a manager right away or any other top position. You may have to work as the coffee getter for the first few months (administrative assistant is the correct term I believe). I know, I know you guys are probably thinking what’s the point of working so hard in college only to have to start at the bottom? All I can tell you is that a recession won’t last forever, but if you find yourself in the right company you never know where you will be moved up to once the economy improves.
Almost every industry has become highly competitive
No matter how smart you may think you are there will always be someone more smarter or more qualified for that job you are applying for. Even the jobs that are “recession proof” are becoming competitive because people are slowly catching on and chances are if you’re in the latter years of a college program you won’t transfer out because it is not “recession proof.”
What can you do? Stay tuned I will cover that tomorrow but please feel free to add your input and I will mention it in tomorrow’s post.
Here are four tips for finding a job:
– Have experience as a co-op or intern. That gives you an education, plus experience and job references.
– Have a job. It’s always easier to find a job when you have one. Otherwise people wonder why isn’t this person employed in the first place.
– Have talent – it’s always in demand, even in a depression.
– Create your own position. Don’t worry if there isn’t a space for you at the firm. If you can create your own position – show them that you can pay for yourself – then there shouldn’t be any reservations about hiring you.