Congratulations to the college graduates of 2021 for graduating, especially during the pandemic. The past year has been a whirlwind. As a global society, we thought quarantine would last a week, and we did not know of the severity. From learning in-person to spending your final year online, we understand the frustrations and anxieties that came with virtual learning and not getting to cherish your last year.
Now that you have left the bubble of college and are entering the job force, it can feel overwhelming, especially with the national unemployment rates. As entry-level creative professionals, you are in the perfect market to reach for your dreams. The advertising and market world is experiencing a shallow candidate pool and is desperate for talent. Here is what the job market means for pandemic graduates and how you can best navigate these waters.
Make those connections
Some of the best advice we can give to you is to grow your professional network as you enter the job force. When you apply for a job, that should be the start of your efforts to get your name recognized within the company. Do your research and connect with creative professionals in the company and the department of the role.
It can be a simple message such as you applied for the position and ask how they like the company or what their role is within the company and learn more about their role and their relationship with the company. Not only will they give you their insight information, but if you strike the right chord, they will think of you when they are sorting through candidates.
Now is the time to upsell
Candidates throughout the market are not only getting the jobs they desire the most, but they are receiving offers above their asking salary. The job market is tight, and candidates should use that to their advantage, especially recent graduates. Agencies and companies are willing to spend more on talent because without talent, and they can’t produce the work they need for their clients.
Use your connections to your advantage and have that taboo discussion about salary and hourly rates with other recent graduates. Find out what they are asking for and what their offers from other companies. When you present an agency your salary, you want it to align with the current industry standards.
Use free resources
There are dozens of free resources to help you in your job search, and one of the most helpful resources is using a staffing agency. Did you know staffing agencies are a free resource? It costs you $0 for recruiters to help you find a job. Sounds a little unbelievable, but here at Clutch, we dedicate ourselves to finding you the perfect job as seamlessly as possible.
Not only will we help you find a job, but we will help refine your resume and portfolio, prep you for interviews, and they make sure you receive the salary and benefits you want. If you have never used a recruiting service before because there are so many unknowns, but their job is to make sure you are happy and fulfilled with a new job.
Overall, we understand the struggles you have endured in the past year, and we want to help you on your journey to finding your first post-graduate job as an entry-level professional. We hope these tips will help you with your job search, and we wish you the best of luck.
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.
