Although this isn’t what you expected the end of your college experience to look like, one door is closing and your journey into adulthood is just beginning. We understand the challenges you’re facing with the semester moving online, being away from your friends during your last days, and graduation being postponed/happening online. It might not feel like graduation is around the corner, but you are about to enter the world of a 9-5 job.
With COVID-19 shutting down almost the whole world, you’re probably nervous and anxious because jobs aren’t hiring, they’re cutting down on staff. It may seem impossible to start navigating your job search, and that’s why we’re here to help. Here is advice from recruiters and graduating seniors that are transitioning into full time employees on how to find a job right out of college, especially during an international pandemic.
Advice from our recruiters
Ginger Kochmer, President and Founder of Clutch — “When you first step foot outside of college, it can be nerve-wracking and you may not know where to start looking. Don’t be afraid to work with recruitment firms. They can help you get your foot in the door on temp-to-hire/freelance opportunities as well as build up your experience to land that full-time role.”
Brian Raffle, Marketing/Creative Recruitment Expert—”Take the job that gets you closest to the career you want, not just the one that pays the most or has the most vacation days. Don’t be afraid to network like crazy, whether it’s on LinkedIn or at a networking event. Connecting with professionals in your desired industry will make finding a job easier and they can be a steppingstone to a position.”
Cody Michalowski, Recruitment Specialist— “One of the best ways to represent yourself in front of a hiring manager is creating an online portfolio to showcase your work and capabilities. Use your portfolio as a platform to represent yourself and the career that you want. For each campaign, write a description that is specific to your skill set and the part that you played. This will give the hiring manager an idea of the work you achieved, similarly to a description on a resume.”
Advice from our college seniors transitioning into full time employees
Megan Thomson, Web and Business Development Intern — “Don’t be afraid to take an internship if you don’t get a job at first. You should do your best to refrain from being hesitant, you never know what an opportunity like this can turn into. The same goes for freelance work, it might not be what you originally what you wanted, but it’ll help you get where you want to be.”
Sophia Rosato, Business Development Intern – “Take the time to prime yourself for job searching. Make sure your portfolio truly has your best wok at the top and it is showcased in a clear and tasteful way. Even if it takes you time to create a portfolio after graduation, take the time to do so because it really makes a difference in the eyes of a hiring manager. Now that everyone’s at home during quarantine, use this time to really brand yourself through a portfolio.”
Maureen Sandler, Social Media Intern – “Create a brand for yourself. Ask yourself, ‘who am I’ and ‘how do I want other people to see me?’ Then take the time to create that representation for yourself. As the saying goes for our industry, ‘it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know’, and admittingly that’s true. Do everything in your power to get in contact with as many people as you can, network, and stay salient in the minds of those that could potentially hire you.”
Clutch is a creative staffing partner. We connect digital, creative, and marketing professionals with companies looking for freelance, temp-to-hire or direct hire resources.
