What the Class of 2009 Can Expect

As the Class of 2009 approaches graduation, they are probably entering one of the toughest job market in years as unemployment reaches towards 8% and companies reduce their recruiting to levels not seen in 6 years. Though companies are still hiring college graduates, they are being extra particular by screening out resumes that have less than a 3.0 GPA and no work experience.

There are still some industries that are doing well in a slow market such as Healthcare, Information Technology, and Education. Though most companies are cutting back on their R&D and Engineering departments, engineering degrees are still considered a stable career choice in the long haul.

The key to surviving a tough job market is too stay flexible and network as much as you can. The odds of finding a job through traditional means such as career fairs and online postings will be difficult. The best way is networking and this is more important than ever this year. Don't feel ashamed to ask your parents, family members, professors and anyone else when looking for a job.

For more information, I have provided a link below:

What College Graduates Can Expect Out Of The Job Market

The Job Market Is Slowing, What Do I Do?

As a follow up to a posting of a news article that addresses the impact of a high unemployment rate on students, is a a guide on how to best approach this situation.

Still in School?

If you're not planning to graduate for a couple years you're probably in the best position and don't have much to worry about at this point.  The market will turn around eventually, so just sit tight and get your learn on!  If you want to be proactive, stay on top of the news and see what industries are making a come back so that you can position yourself accordingly when you graduate.  I don't believe companies will cut back on their recruiting efforts for internship positions as companies still need to train the future even if the economy is slowing.  

Plan on Graduating?

For those of you who are planning on graduating soon or have already graduated, don't panic!  Yes times are tough but they will get better.  Job hunting in a bad market is difficult as the competition for even entry level positions will be very high so you will need to put in the extra effort to stand out.  If you are truly determined in finding the right job for your future career, you will need to be very flexible and willing to relocate.  Many companies provide relocation packages and help get you on your feet.  Focusing your job searching in one particular location is very limiting and will lead to a job search dead end very quickly.  Set the right expectation when you're looking for your first job.  Jobs pertaining to your career may be hard to come by so don't set the bar so high or you will be easily frustrated with your first job.  Remember, you're still young and will have opportunities to rise as the job market gets healthier.  If possible, I would suggest going back to graduate school to continue your education so that you can enter a work force with an advanced degree and give some time for the job market to gain strength again.  

Whatever you do, don't panic!  The job market will turn around; it will just take some time.  

Job Marketing Looking Grimmer

I am not a big fan of continuously posting negative news but I feel that not posting the realty of the times is a disservice to my readers.  CNN recently posted on article with some job hiring statistical data worth noting:

• Employers said they planned to hire just 1.3% more graduates in 2009, a large drop from the 6% projection
  
• National unemployment is expected to be as high as 7% in Spring 2009, a rate not since met since 1993
  
• A sociology major applied to 60 positions only hearing back from 4 and settled for a part time position at a law firm
  
• Consider jobs outside the traditional role; Business majors should apply for finance-related positions in health care

Yes it looks bleak but this gives many a reason to try different career paths before settling while the job market stabilize.  I have provided a link the to the article below.

Grim Prospect For New Grads [via CNN Money]

Interviewing with a Low GPA

Getting an interview spot with a low GPA is no easy task but getting through the interviews requires a bit more preparation. Not only do you have to prepare for the typical interview questions, you have to prepare yourself for this:

We've noticed you have a low GPA, would you like to explain it?

No Excuses

There is no real good excuse to have a low GPA, so don't think that pitching an excuse will do you any good. Death in the family? Should have talked to an academic advisor to hold your grades and drop out of school if needed as not to damage your GPA. What can work is honesty. If its due to bad study skills or unexpected standards of a college curriculum then you should be open and up front about it.

Weakness into Strength

Now that you and your recruiter have realized you have some not so great qualities on your resume, its time to turn a weakness into a strength. Think of this as an opportunity to explain how you've improved since hitting your low point in college and how it will help you become a professional in the future. If you've improved your study skills and have accelerated in certain key classes important in your major, make sure to point that out. You want the recruiter to feel comfortable that you've learned your lesson and are working to get your GPA back up. What a recruiter doesn't want to see is someone who is failing and hasn't made the choice to change and continue to fail.

Prove It

A recruiter can not deny your improvement if you bring them some solid proof such as a college transcript. Some recruiters will ask for this up front but only concentrate on the overall GPA. Be sure to bring a copy and really point out that you are improving in core classes and that your low GPA does not handicap you in any way. If you really want to wow the recruiter, you can always request a letter of recommendation from a professor in your major to vouch your academic improvement and your success as a professional.

The Reality of Career Fairs

Many schools typically put on multiple career fairs a year providing the opportunity to students to apply for internships and jobs. However, the success rate most students have with finding a position through a career fair is quite low. For example a university will have on average 50 companies show up to their career fair each trying to fill on average one or two positions. Now if we assume that they are planning to hire someone out of that particular university that’s 50 to 100 positions available to any students attending the career fair. Typically 2,000 students will attend a career fair and submit their resume to recruiters. Assuming 100 positions are available to students, only 5% of those students will end up with a position. Though this is a rough estimate, the reality is that many students will not be able to solely use career fairs to find a job or internship.

What then is the point of attending a career fair? Networking. Career fairs will give you an opportunity to meet face to face with recruiters and learn more about the company. Even though you may not be able to get a position with a certain company, that doesn’t mean other positions won’t open at the same company. By using the career fair success strategies, you will be able to turn the recruiter into a contact for the future. Being able to provide contact information during an interview process will further enhance your prospects.

Though there is no guarantee towards getting a job or internship, you can still make the career fair experience a productive one.

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students

As the national economy is slowing, it is only natural for the job market to slow down as well. For those of you who are planning on graduating soon, prepare for a competitive job market and be flexible. Here are a few good points from a recent university article:

• Graduating students will be competing with those who have been recently laid off increasing the stakes
• Students will need to look outside their comfort zone and need to be willing to relocate
• Be as proactive as possible during your job search
• Undergrads may be in a better position as companies are always looking too keeping their pipeline young
• Your first job may not be your ultimate job

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students [via The California Aggie]

Why the Interview and What to Expect

So you made the resume cut and you've been offered the interview, but really why have one at all? Let's put it this way, a resume can only tell them so much about you and a hiring manager already know you made the technical cut based on your resume. What they don't know is what your personality is like and how it would fit in their company culture. So walk into the interview with self confidence knowing you made the cut. Now what can you expect at an interview?

Your Resume in Depth

Even though a recruiter can read your resume, there's just something about hearing it from the horse's mouth. This is not too test you to see if you lied on your resume, which RedSprouts never supports, but to provide the chance to ask more questions about what is listed on your resume. I would advise reading your resume over before the interview to make sure you remember what is listed so you don't get caught off guard with any questions.

Behavioral/Technical Questions

I would consider this the real meat of the interview where the interviewer wants to know more about how you tick. Expect questions on teamwork, strenghts/weaknesses, leadership, and confrontation. For those of us with a low GPA, expect a question about why your GPA is low. For certain job positions, especially in the technical field, expect technical questions such as solving certain problems or explaining your position on current events. Even if the questions seem impossible, make the best attempt you can because sometimes the questions aren't designed too be solved but rather to see how you solve the problem.

Company Information

This is your chance to get more information about the company and the position you're applying for. Additionally it provides the oppurtunity to ask the interviewer questions. Don't forget to have a list of questions before entering the interview!

Interview Series - A Recent Graduate's Job Searching Experience

A new addition to RedSprouts this week is an interview with a recent graduate who is hoping to start a new career. RedSprouts will be posting interviews on other topics in the coming future.

Max is a recent graduate with a dual degree in chemical engineering and material sciences. He recently shared his job searching experiences with RedSprouts.

Red Sprouts (RS): Did you start job searching before graduating ?

Max: Yes i did. In fact, I started pretty much at the start of senior year because all of the [chemical engineering] companies were recruiting then. I used school resources for my job search and landed some on-campus interviews and even a couple of second on-site interviews. But I ended up either not having much luck on them or I messed up during my interviews.

RS: Did you adjust your job searching strategy once you graduated?

Max: As the school year wore on, one of my coworkers mentioned another site I should also look at in addition to [school resources], and that was for government jobs. It was usajobs.com and they have a lot of listings, even more so than [the school resources]. I probably should have realized it before, but I should not have been very dependent on [school resources] and instead add my search on other job sites like Craigslist, Monster, and CareerBuilder.

RS: Did you find the job listings on these sites to be genuine?

Max: Most of them, yes, even though over half of the positions listed required 5+ years of experience.

RS: Were there any entry level job postings?

Max: A few. You have to search for it in the search criteria, or else they won't show up and all you get is "process engineer, needs 15+ years experience, [Professional Engineers License] preferred" or other things like that.

RS: Out of the job positions you applied for how many did you get responses for?

Max: Not very many. Probably around 1%. I think I actually did apply to at least 100 jobs and I got maybe 2 responses for further action, like an interview.

RS: What have you found to the be the most frustrating process of job searching?

Max: I think the number one thing is my lack of training. For example, I've seen so many companies ask for [chemical engineers] that know autoCAD and even computer programming but that's in rare cases.

RS: What have you done differently as part of your job search?

Max: I've expanded my horizons a little and looking into possible backup plans.

RS: Please elaborate.

Max: I'm pretty much looking for almost anything. A couple weeks ago, I applied to [the San Francisco Municipal Railway] and the [San Francisco] unified school district. One of my backup plans was to be a teacher, so I was looking into that and the programs available in my area for a credential. I also wanted to end my lack of employment, so one of my friends suggested working at a part-time job. Since my job search has slowed down, I might as well keep myself sharp by working.

RS: Where are you currently employed?

Max: I actually start next Tuesday at Starbucks!

RS: What advice would you give to any potential new job seekers?

Max: Make sure you know what you want to do, and go do it. Say you want to work in a particular field; look up all the companies that have to do with that field and apply to all the positions you think you would like to do. All companies have a lot of opportunities available, but it's also important to show them why you are the best candidate, and that's where career counselors and career literature come in.

RS: Who have you used as a career counselor?

Max: That's a tough one, because I didn't actually use one, but I did go to an interview workshop and that helped tremendously. Just working on body language, appearance, enthusiasm, and all the other important things in an interview helped a lot. Bookstores like Borders or Barnes & Noble usually sell books on career and interview improvement.

RedSprouts would like to thank Max for his time and wishes him good luck in his job search.

Job Search Engine Review - The Job Source

I ran into a job searching website that concentrates primarily on entry level positions and internships. The site differentiates itself from Monster and Career Builder by gearing towards recent graduates who are just starting their career. This is a great idea but the the site is still filled with many non entry level positions and old job postings that should be filtered out. This site is still worth using though use with caution.

The Job Source

The Resume - Format

Understanding the basics of a resume is important, but putting it all together on a piece of paper is a whole other story. Below is a guide towards the formatting basics:

Font Type and Size

If you want a recruiter to take you seriously, use proper font on your resume. Using cute font will make you look immature and not ready to enter the professional world. Stick with Times New Roman, Arial, or Tahoma and you'll be just fine. Font sizes will always be dependent on how much content you have in your resume. The more content you start putting on the smaller the font should be but keep in mind that it still needs to be readable. If you find that your resume is lacking and looking sparse; playing with the font sizes can create some more volume. Stick with a font size between 10 and 14. Anything smaller than 10 can be very hard to read and anything over 14 can create more void than you want.

Using Bolds

Bolding should be used as a way to separate sections in your resume. Every new section such as Objective, Education, Experience, and so forth should be bold as to help organize the flow of information. What you don't want to do is over bold items which will take away from the organization. The section worth bolding sub sections is the Experience section. Bolding each item in your Experience section will draw attention to those items of importance.

Bullets

I recommend starting your first resume by using bullets as a way for organizing information under the Experience section. Each item you list, either an internship or club activity should have at least 3 bullet items underneath. The more information you can list under each section the more information the recruiter will have to make a decision.

Spell Check!

Last by not least, avoid simple mistakes by spell checking and proof reading your resume over and over again.

As your resume changes over time so will your format, so make sure to update your resume and stay flexible with formatting. You can also use a resume template to start out as well and adjust it based on your needs.

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market

I agree this is an ominous title but that is the reality of the world currently. A recent article from the Seattle Times made some interesting points:

• Unemployment among 20 to 24 years old is sharply higher than for the national population
• Graduates looking to get into the financial-services industry are the most affected due to the sub prime-mortgage crisis
• The most desirable job candidates are those with engineering, information-technology, math and science degrees
• Health Care, accounting, and biotechnology markets are still strong
• Fewer than half of young college graduates receive any form of pension coverage as companies cut back
• Have a Plan B and C
• Tap into every resource you have, including your parents, to get as much experience as you can in college

During the last job market slow down in the early 2000's, I had a colleague that had graduated with an engineering degree but couldn't find a job in his field He ended up bouncing around jobs for 2 years such as being a bank teller and a substitute teacher until the job market got better. Learning to adapt and cope during a slow job market is now a necessary survival skill. I have provided a link to the article below.

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market [via Seattle Times]

Career Fair Success Strategies

Thousands of people haggling over prices for the best quality fish is a typical day at a wholesale fish market. Yet in reality this is quite similar to a typical career fair where hundreds of students wait in line to speak with a recruiter and submit their resume in hope of catching the big one. If you’re not prepared, a career fair can swallow you up and spit you back out. I have attended many career fairs and have come away with certain tips and advice towards making a career fair a productive and positive experience.

Many undergraduates who attend a career fair for the first time do not realize that their interview with a prospective company begins with the first conversation with a recruiter. Having helped a company recruit in the past, I can finally understand why making a strong first impression is very important. Impressing a recruiter can involve a number of things such as appearance, self confidence, and extensive knowledge of the company. When hundreds of students are vying for the same position, you need to make yourself stand out.

Typically the career centers of most college campuses prepare for career fairs in advance and will provide information on what the company does and what kind of positions they are hiring for. Trust me you’ll want to be as prepared as possible before attending a career fair. Do your research on the companies so that when you do talk to the recruiter you can tell them about yourself and why you feel you would fit in with the position they have posted. There’s nothing worse for a recruiter than having to explain the position to people over and over again. Trust me they already know who they want and don’t want once you open your mouth.

While you’re talking to the recruiter about yourself, you should also take the opportunity to ask questions about them. The more involved you are talking with a recruiter the better chance you may have getting an interview spot. Try to always get their business card so that you can follow up with them and possibly create a contact.

Most importantly, bring extra copies of your resume. Passing out your resume at a career fair is a long standing tradition, so make sure you have enough copies with you. I have unfortunately had had the experience of not bringing enough resumes requiring me run off to a nearby computer lab to print some more out taking away precious time talking to recruiters. My rule of thumb is to bring an extra 15 - 20 resumes on top of the one's you've already printed. You never know what company will show up at the last minute that is a great fit for you.

Job Searching in a Recession

I have recently been talking with a friend of mine who just recently graduated and mentioned how difficult it has been looking for a job in a currently tough job market. Many of my clients have told me that they are currently under a hiring freeze and the state of the economy of course does not help. Though typical job search engines like Monster and Career Builder do a decent job looking for job postings, I stumbled upon a new search engine called InDeed, www.indeed.com, which aggregates job searching data much better allowing for better matches.

If job search engines don't cut it, I would try trade associations or private organizations. Many professional societies allow students to join for free or at a very low rate and allows access to their job posting which are industry specific.

Temporary agencies are also a good way to get in the door with many major industry leaders and allows you to learn more about your job so that you can make a better decision. Temp jobs also provide alot of flexibility for those who don't necessarily want to commit to any one company and want to have some spare time to travel and relax.

Career - Avoid Simple Mistakes

I have had the opportunity of helping my company recruit for entry level and internship positions at different colleges. Several months ago, I was invited to attend a career fair and talked to many interested undergraduates. Upon returning to the office and looking through my emails, I came upon one that made me understand why recruiters don’t always respond back. This prospective student had emailed me about his interest in getting an internship with my company, but had gotten the company totally wrong. Even more frustrating was that I had remembered giving my business card to this student and it is quite obvious from my email address that I did not work for the company that was mistaken for. Additionally, the student had made the worst mistake by misspelling the word "resume" on their file attachment.

Now I may seem harsh to this particular student, but in an ever increasingly competitive world, simple mistakes like that can end your dreams short. Always spell check your resume, cover letter, and email message before sending it out to a recruiter. It only takes a couple of minutes to do and can save you from ending up in the "do not hire" list.

The source of this student’s mistake was using a template email. Template emails are by far, the worse way to contact a recruiter about your interest and can easily be identified. Instead, write separate emails designed around the needs of the positions you are interested- it'll add a personal touch.

By avoiding simple mistakes, this prospective student would have had their resume forwarded to human resources and most likely would have gotten an interview slot. Let this be a lesson towards taking a small amount of time to avoid a long term problem.

Career - Job Searching Resources

A day of web browsing lead me to a nifty social networking site that has compiled a list of online job searching and career development sites. If you are currently looking for a job or are anticipating doing so I would suggest having a look. It has all the traditional site such as careerbuilder and monster but it also has job search engines that are specific to certain industries and regions such as technical jobs in Europe.

70+ Tools For Job Hunting 2.0 [Mashable]