While we're on the subject of college graduates....

[Debi]

After you graduated from college, how did you find your job? I graduated in May with a degree in Management, worked the summer as a nanny, then started over Labor Day weekend working as an Assistant Manager for Storage USA. However, the job isn't working out, and I'm now back to square one. It took me 3+ months to find that job, and I can't afford to be without an income for another 3 months.

So, my question is this: how did you find your first (or favorite) job after college?

 

[Judy from Boise]

As a new RN, the world was my oyster !

 

[DocRafiki]

The standard in my profession is classified ads in our national association's journal.

 

[helenabear]

Actually I applied for another job within the same company and they thought I'd be a good match for the job I currently do. So I went in to interview for that one and got it that day. I wound up going to work the Monday after graduation

 

[wld]

Another RN here. Even 8 years ago I started my new job a day after I graduated with my ADN. Was already working when I got my BSN.

 

[kpgclark]

Try networking. Join whatever professional organizations related to your field that you can. Call your college and speak with the placement office. Go to the library and take out some books on job hunting.

Don't quit your current job until you find another and don't burn any bridges. You never know when you'll need a recommendation.

 

[JohnTBap]

I was hired by an Assistant Principal where I was student teaching to go to the school where she would be Principal the next year.

 

[Debi]

Through all the jobs I've held (this is my whopping third job - I held one through high school and one through college), I learned never to burn bridges. I left my first two jobs because my work was interfering with my schoolwork, and thankfully my bosses were more than understanding. Both told me that I could come back (on a part-time basis) once I got through school. I told my current boss that the job isn't working out because I don't feel like I'm a right fit for the company (my background is in retail, and I'm now working for a storage company), and he was understanding with that.

So, no bridges have been burned. I can go back to any of those jobs at any time, but it would only be a part-time job. Grrr! Any Business people out there with good reccomendations?

 

[alabamaalan]

I was interning as a reporter at a radio station and they offered me the job after I graduated.

Since I was hardly earning gas money to the station, I kept it while putting in applications in other areas. A few months later I was offered an IT position with the state and have been there ever since.

 

[tar heel]

I was hired by the newspaper I interned at my last semester of college. The pay was lousy, but the experience was priceless. And I got to remain in my college town a while longer. Got my second job through the placement program at the journalism school I graduated from. Got third job through contacts I had made, mainly during the first job. For my fourth and fifth jobs, I answered newspaper ads. Of course, I had a lot of experience by then, which really helps when you're one of many answering an ad.

I also have done freelance work for 18 years. I've had about 20 clients only one of which came from a newspaper ad (but I have had that client for 15 years!. All the rest came through contacts.

 

[Rajah]

I've been lucky -- every time, it's been because I've known someone who knew about the job and suggested I apply.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I graduated from undergrad college ten years ago, and I am still trying to find that "first" professional job. I majored in computers, but only found work as a computer consultant, which means I was hired by a company only for short projects, and then laid off when the project ended. I babysat inbetween projects and did other part-time/informal jobs. But soon, I will be getting my master's degree, and I am currently interning at a college library, which I love . So soon, I'll be back looking for that "first" professional job ... again.

 

[Debi]

Thanks! Anybody else?

 

[Zarr aka Joe]

Debi - I know you have your degree in management -- but what exactly did you go to school for - That is, what ideally are *you* looking for right now? Maybe a head hunter could be useful to you?

I myself didn't know what to do after college (was a Spanish major), so I went full-time for a year at the part-time job I had during college (as a customer service coordinator in a retail chain) until I finally cracked my glass ceiling and went out on that job search.

God bless the internet - as I just tripped across a job posting on a website that I rarely ever used for job hunting -- and I got the job! I started out as an bilingual administrative assistant for a Latin American program in a non-profit and just worked my way up...now 4 years later I am the Program Coordinator and have a decent salary and amazing benefits.

Spanish was your minor, right? Why not look for something that can utilize your language skills....and it definitely makes *you* more marketable as a job candidate.

It can and will happen Debi! Good luck!

 

[caitycaity]

it took forever.

after i graduated, it took me 7 months to find my first "professional" job. in the meantime, i worked part-time at my alma mater.

i finally found a job i love and it has helped me decide what i want to do with my life.

i found it by looking at classifieds in the washington post.

 

[danacara]

Call the placement office at your college. They have a lot of connections, they can help.

 

[RUDisney]

I found my job through a newsletter that was sent out by my college's career services. At that time, I thought I wanted to be in business.. banking to be precise and found a management trainee position in operations. Almost 15 years later and I'm the MIS Manager. My BS and MBA are in Marketing. Keep your options open and be flexible.

From what I see, colleges are contacted all the time by employers and in my area, students and alums don't take advantage of their career services department.

I've been looking for a new hire for my department since May and I haven't found the right person yet.

My best advice to you is if/when you get the interview, always follow-up with a thank you letter/card to the person who interviewed you. Too many people don't extend that common courtesy and if it comes down to you and someone else, you'll push yourself over the other person by sending the note.

Good luck in your search!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Ditto what Dana said!

My student advisor had a lot of contacts in the business world; he set up me on some great interviews. The job I wound up getting then is one I wish I still had--it was great. (Although not a good fit for the life I went on to live--it was definitely something best suited for a single woman.)