I was so mad at my college graduation all because I didn’t have a job yet. I thought that’s how it was supposed to work. You go to college. You apply. You get a job. Anyone who has actually been through this process knows it’s a little more laborious than that, but I didn’t know at the time.
I was the first person in my family to ever work in corporate America. I don’t think any of them knew how to give me advice other than “keep trying” and “maybe next time.” As someone who graduated high school with a job offer in hand, I was sure this graduation would add up to something.
As proud and excited as I was to walk across that stage, I was more scared that this wouldn’t add up to anything. That somehow I wouldn’t ever find the career path for me. All that for no career? No thanks.
Standing Out As An Entry-Level Candidate
I know I’m not alone. I’ve talked to quite a few recent college grads about their job search. Their parents, too. There’s an overwhelming sense that getting a job is taking longer than ever. Knowing how torturous that wait can be, I did a dive into the data to see if that’s true.
According to a study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), in the late 1990s, it took college graduates an average of 3 to 6 months to secure their first post-college job. Today, according to the LinkedIn Hiring Rate which tracks the pace at which LinkedIn members update their profiles with new jobs each month, was down 9.6% year-over-year in the U.S. in April. Meanwhile, applications for open roles are on the rise - a 14% jump from November 2023 to March of this year. (More on that data here.)
It's fair to expect competition for entry-level roles to get more intense, with 32% of younger workers planning to change jobs, according to a recent LinkedIn survey. All that to say, I don’t think it’s helpful for any new grad to attach themselves to some survey’s timeline. It's really hard to stand out as an entry-level candidate.
Jobs After College: What You Should Know
Want to get hired faster? Here are a few things I wish I knew before making the leap into corporate America that might help make the transition easier for you.
- Update your LinkedIn profile. Make sure it sounds like you and talks about what you want to do. More on that here.
- All job titles are made up. That means one place calls it one thing and another calls it something else. Focus on the work you want to do then use a tool like my free Job Title Generator to generate some alternative titles.
- Set alerts for job titles so you can get any new gigs delivered straight to your inbox. Timing matters. Not sure where to start? Make a list of things you like to do and enter it into this Job Title Generator. Ta da. Alternatives.
- Practice interview questions. Rehearse the standard questions like “tell me about yourself” or “why do you want this job?” Be concise. Be specific. Literally, I want you to practice answering in a standardized way.
- Read the job posting. If you sense red flags - things like “we’re like a family” could be one for you - don’t apply.
- You can negotiate salary. No one is going to rescind your offer because you asked for more money. I’ve never heard of that happening to someone first person, only in the HR horror stories with no citations. The hiring manager will tell you if they have it or they don’t.
- Don’t be so mad at yourself. Timing doesn’t matter as much as fit.
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