2016-2017 HBCU Careers Magazine

HBCU Careers Magazine

What Do You Want to Do With Your Life After Graduation? Career Tips for Recent Graduates By: Michael Amiri

If you are a recent or soon-to-be college grad, you will be faced with making big decisions on everything from career to finances, to personal and professional relationships. Without a doubt, you are happy to have your degree. However, you are also stuck within a rather less straightforward transitional state where you have to think about the future and see the light at the end-of-the tunnel, so to speak.

I’m sure you have heard many times about the horror stories of the weak economy and unemployment. You wonder now whether your college experience was worth the money if you cannot land a job soon. You wounder what an intelligent and hard-working college graduate needs to do to embrace success and outsmart the competition. One of the first and most important steps is to build relationships with quality people right after college if you have not done it yet! This does not mean to go around and schmooze people, but rather refine your people skills and build a quality character to step out of your old skin into the new one. This includes enhancing your web presence. Use social media to your advantage and market yourself as a talented eager professional. Show that you have the personality and success story that can make the difference beyond job requirements. I’m sure you know LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and personal websites are a great starting point. But make sure you are sharing and presenting information in a context-specific way. For example, do not post your drunk pictures after last week’s party on your Facebook-that won’t help you build a relationship at the professional level. It’s crucial to remember that everything you do online can be seen by almost everyone, including your next employer. So no political outbursts, no passive- aggressive behavior. Keep it light, fun, happy and professional at all times. You also need to brand yourself. In order to prove your credibility and attract the attention of employers, it is important to build and promote your professional brand. Remember, if you are looking for anything and everything, you’ll end up getting nothing. Companies want people with a couple of specialties. Find our what fits your interest and background and put your attention there. Take small steps first and apply yourself gradually until you feel comfortable with your new brand. You will have an easier time with your career search once you establish your brand. Stay in touch with your peer group after graduation. Get together to exchange information and job opportunities or, even better, form a peer group online and engage. Have a short (about 30 seconds) “marketing Speech” about you, your experiences and career goals. Having a marketing speech is not only a great way to quickly introduce yourself at networking events, but is also a good way to answer the “tell me about yourself” interview question. Practice and practice- use mockup session with your friends and practice...this is the key to getting to a comfortable level with yourself. Your school career service may have a Mockup Interview Program that provides a chance to

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