The Catch-22

All recent college graduates know what I’m talking about when I say that job hunting is a catch-22. You can’t get a job because you don’t have enough experience, but how are you supposed to acquire experience if you can’t learn through a job? Because no one is willing to hire recent graduates you get stuck doing jobs that don’t relate to your major but they pay the bills, or you keep doing internships to gain the experience. How do you win at this vicious cycle? Here are some things to consider:

Understand that transferable skills are your secret weapon. Skills that you have acquired in your life are more important then you think. Just from your hours spent chatting online or playing basketball in high school you have technological and teamwork abilities. You need to think outside the job. When I was applying to jobs I had listed all my work experience which was mainly made up of mall jobs. After not hearing back from any employers I decided it was time to focus on my other accomplishments. I focused on the clubs I was a part of and the volunteer work I did. I had worked for my college TV, radio and newspaper clubs and had top status in all three. Rearrange your resume and highlight any type of experience you had in college that enhanced your skills within your major. Paid jobs aren’t the only experience you have ever had so don’t focus just on them.

Overall you need to have logical expectations. Fresh out of college the “entry-level” label is not a bad thing to have. Thinking that you are going to become a director or manager within your first year after graduating is unreasonable. You might not receive the highest pay or have the title you want, but if you can find something within your field then stick it out because you will have the opportunity for a promotion and greater responsible with the months to come.