It’s that time of year again. The semester is coming to a close with spring formals, outdoor barbecues and final exams. Although you are excited for summer, your mind is constantly beset by anxiety and uncertainty. You have spent the last four years imprisoned by a major you were led to believe would give you credibility in the workforce, but now you find yourself facing the possibility of graduating without a job.
According to Newsweek, millennials account for 40% of the unemployment in the U.S., but you do not have to be a percentage of this statistic.
In the Princeton Review’s 2014 list of The Best 377 Colleges, Grove City College’s Career Services Office was ranked at number 16 for “Best Career/Job Placement Services.” Out of the whole state of Pennsylvania, the College was one of the only four institutions to make the list.
Dr. Jim Thrasher ’80, director of career services at Grove City College, encourages students to utilize the College’s Career Services Office to gain insider referrals. Senior biochemistry major Joscelyn Seaton said, “Grove City College’s Career Services Office taught me that when it comes to experience, never leave a stone unturned.”
According to Dr. Thrasher, job placement is a contact sport, no pun intended; it is all about making connections and relationships.
Let’s face it, job placement is super uncomfortable. Students are forced to put themselves in unknown environments and vie for positions against hundreds, even thousands of other applicants. Not only is the application process competitive, it is extremely time consuming. “Job placement is a lot of work. It is a full time job to just get a full time job,” Thrasher said.
Before starting your full time job search, let’s consult Grove City College’s Career Service Office for four tips on how to succeed in the job search process.
1. IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE
Whether you have noticed it or not, college not only provides students with an education, but also teaches them the importance of multitasking. This notion should be extended into the job search process. It is vital for students to gain exposure of future connections while also starting their career development process.
2. EXPECTATIONS
If you are graduating without a job, you are not alone. According to Dr. Thrasher, recent graduates are expected to receive employment within three to six months of graduation.
3. HOW TO COPE WITH REJECTION
Dr. Thrasher encourages students to be expectant rather than fearful. Students need to be willing to work through their disappointments with perseverance and determination.
4. ADVICE FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION
Millennials are gurus of the digital age, but while they excel in social media awareness, they are lacking in etiquette in terms of follow-up emails and face-to-face interaction. This paradoxical dilemma reiterates the importance of building connections through relationships.
Take the tips you have learned from one of the nation’s top career services offices and begin building connections. It might take a lot of work, but Grove City College is committed to helping students find their dream jobs.
