Which advice will you give a fresh graduate who is leaving college to look for employment?

39 comments

  1. look at the job spec for positions you want to fill in 5 or 10 years and see what the competence requirements are, then find jobs now that will give you those bits of expertise.

  2. Coworkers are not your friends. You will spend a lot of time with them, but you are not friends, just strangers who are united by the fact that you need to work and earn money to survive.

    Of course I am not saying that a coworker cannot become a friend. But do not trust them just because you work 8 hours with them daily and have friendly conversations with each other.

    I am saying this because it can hurt a lot when someone backstabs you who you thought was your friend. You’re thinking about changing workplaces and share it with your favorite colleague? By tomorrow, the entire office will know it, including your boss. Do you like a girl in your team? Yeah, in a week everyone will know it, including her.

  3. A lot of grads make the mistake of searching for their “dream job” straight out. Don’t do this. Just get a decent job that’s in your field. Then do that job well and learn as much as you can. Then if you want to, find another job that might be closer to your “dream job”. It’s a lot easier to get a better job when you’ve already got a job.

  6. Don’t get complacent.

    Whatever your goals are: follow them. A lot of us lost sight of ourselves and now we’re stuck in limbo of fuck I have to work and fuck I don’t want to work. If the diploma you just got is the field you want to be in, follow it. Don’t be seduced by companies that just want a body. You’ll be miserable in five years. Get a job that will get you the experience you need to get the job you want. Do overtime. But, not too much overtime. Take vacation. But, not too many vacations. Get some tail. But, not too much tail. Learn to be happy with yourself. Don’t look down on yourself and think you can’t do it, because in all likihood you can.

    Congratulations on graduating, though! I hope success follows you soon!

  9. Company networking events are where it’s at. Bring 5-10 printouts of your resume talk with people that are in positions that you find interesting and hope for the best.

  11. Before they go to college I’d say don’t go to college, go into the trades. Comparable money, better mobility, less debt, and working up to 2 years sooner.

    Depending on the college degree, if someone did go, I’d say the same thing. Go into the trades, because a lot of degrees are worthless, and use the money earned in a good paying career to pay off that college loan debt.

  12. Depending on your field the shit you learn in school doesn’t always work in the real world. Just ask anybody that’s had to deal with an architect.

  13. Don’t compare yourself to everyone else, your success is all in your mind. Set goals and beat them, your happiness is more important than any number

  14. If you’ve graduated and are looking for employment that the first issue. That should’ve been sorted prior to graduating with internship.

    That said there are two things I’d recommend:

    Take any job you can find that looks remotely interesting

    Or

    Take a backpack and go travel another country for a hit and work some odd jobs for a year

    Get to know yourself

  16. Don’t let employment become your whole life. Stay enthusiastic about your hobbies, build relationships, remember to take time off. Your career is part of your identity, Not your entire identity.

  17. The most important thing is to find A job.. once your employed with some experiene it becomes so much easier to find other jobs and better jobs. Changing employer is a gar easier way to get a payrise or promotion than trying to get one within a company. Whenever you feel ready for the next step in your career don’t just look within your current company look at all options

  18. Bro I just started this myself but get into real estate. It’s a crazy side hustle

  19. Understand that with the exception of a very few job roles, what your learned at college/University is almost pointless as every company does things differently if at all.

    Don’t get hung up on specific processes, terminology etc as most of the stuff you get taught in university is outdated.

  20. Join the army or something. With a degree you’re the preferred sort of candidate for a commission.

    There’s plenty of time to rot in a little cell from 9-5 when you’re dull and middle aged.

  22. It’s a number game in the beginning with jobs. Apply to all relevant positions. Track where you apply in a spreadsheet.

    Have a clean resume and insightful cover letter.

    You got this.

  23. If you can, do a few months hippy work for food and board. It’s something a lot of my friends have ended up too tied down to do and now regret the missed opportunity

  25. Good on you for asking for advice on this really complex topic:

    1. Work isn’t your family. But, unless they’re really terrible, you should see your manager and higher-ups as benevolent dictators. None of us are going to stay at one job our whole lives and the best way to be able to move around is by having good relationships with your bosses and their higher-ups if possible. If you cultivate those relationships they can be amazing reference calls and perhaps even serve to connect you with people who can help you find the next job you’re looking for. A good manager will want you to be successful.
    2. Work smart, not hard. Figure out how to make systems that allow your work to be easier and less intense. Example – I joined a non-profit and at the time I joined, they had no email program strategy. They just sent one out when they felt like it. That was really disruptive for me. So I suggested that we build a program off of 3 emails sent M-W-F. The results were great from every metric and they thought it was a big hit. The biggest win, for me though, is that I was able to predict how much work it’d take and build templates so that I wasn’t reinventing the wheel every single week. Saved me thousands of hours.
    3. It is just a job. No matter how much your manager likes you or how much you enjoy it, especially in the US, they can fire you for whatever reason. Never make work your life, perhaps unless you’re an entrepreneur.
    4. Network, network, network. You’re just graduating and this is when your network is at it’s smallest. But, you still have one. You have your professors, your internship managers, your parents, their friends, your friend’s parents. Connect with all these people on LinkedIn. Then, when you’re applying for jobs, instead of applying to every single one and sending out hundreds a week, take a little bit of time and find jobs that you want to do and where you have some connections to the job. Then ask for an intro. It is VERY hard to stand out if you’re applying to hundreds. It is easier to stand out if someone helps you from the inside. This gets more important the older you get.
    5. Don’t plan TOO much. You never know what opportunities will pop up and, especially in your 20s, just focus on getting good at something. Don’t pay attention to people who say XYZ isn’t useful. Everything is useful and can help you get a good salary. Just get good at it. Then, in your 30s, you’re going to find yourself able to apply to plenty of jobs that pay well.
    6. This goes along with#2, but don’t be afraid of AI. While everyone is scared that it’ll take their job, just use it and allow your job to be easier. Learn “Prompt Engineering”

  27. Learn a new skill each job while on the clock. If your job offers training for skills that are applicable elsewhere take that training. Ask for what you want. Want a new position? Ask for it. Want a raise? Ask for it. Find problems in your job that you can fix. Become an expert at your job. Find elders at your company that know a lot and ask them questions. Look for red flags that it’s time to move to a different job. Red flags include “we’re a family here” “ sorry you’ll get paid by Monday” , your boss using your work without crediting you. Your company not listening to serious safety issues. There are lots more.

  29. Your school should have a department dedicated to helping you find employment in your field. I recommend using that department if you can.

  30. Never discount any of your previous jobs- the title of old jobs may not be glamorous (server, stocker, machine operator, etc.) but each job has surely given you some valuable skills that WILL be useful or relatable later in life.

    I once worked as a cake decorator at walmart- a lucky accident- and I always assumed it was a niche job at a big brand store. Something not worth much in the real world. But I still look back fondly on the skills ive learned there: time management, critical team work, client interaction, synthesizing ideas based on loose ideas or concepts, etc.

    In other words- your experiences are valid, don’t be ashamed of them or afraid to utilize them to your benefit/benefit of the job.

  31. Hey there! Congrats on graduating! My advice would be to not limit yourself to only applying for the jobs related to your field of study. Cast a wide net and consider all options, even if they might seem unconventional. Networking is also key – don’t be afraid to reach out to alumni or people in your desired industry for advice or job opportunities. And remember, the job market can be tough, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get offers right away. Keep grinding and best of luck!

  32. treat people kindly, especially people ranked ‘below’ you. This always comes around

  33. Get in that 401k program, take full advantage of all company matches!

  34. You don’t have to stop looking for a job just because you already have one. You don’t get paid if you aren’t working. So you aren’t doing yourself any favors by turning down a job that isn’t the “perfect” job to you or what you went to school for.

  35. If you have never held a job, I’d say go to a job prep center and take their course. One thing that schools and college never teach you, is how to properly enter the job market and what exactly employers are looking for.

    A degree is nice and all, but you need a complex mix of social and work skills in order to be able to market yourself as a desirable candidate for employment.

  36. If you instantly obtain a career with your major, you are extremely rare and lucky.

  37. Just because you majored in something doesn’t restrict you to that major for employment.

  38. My advice would be to not limit yourself by only applying to jobs in your field of study. Cast a wide net and apply to various industries and job positions. And always remember, skills can be learned on the job, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t have all the qualifications listed on a job posting. Also, don’t forget to network and utilize resources such as job fairs and career centers. Good luck!

  39. Know your shit when you get interviewed. I’ve interviewed people before with impressive resumes but when questioned it’s clear they don’t know shit.

    Good interpersonal skills are useful and network with people in your graduating class.

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