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BOSTON - June 3, 2009 - Facing the highest unemployment rate in more than 25 years, recent college graduates, and high school graduates going directly into the workforce, will have to be more creative, and ready to use a variety of different strategies and tactics to find jobs, according to ClearRock (http://www.clearrock.com/), an executive coaching and outplacement firm headquartered in Boston.
With the unemployment rate at 8.9 percent, and more than 13.6 million people looking for work, college and high school graduates searching for entry-level jobs are running up against more experienced laid-off workers who are willing to take lower-level and lower-paying jobs to become re-employed, said Annie Stevens, managing partner for ClearRock.
"College and high school graduates are at a disadvantage against more numerous than usual older, experienced people they find themselves competing against. They need to capitalize on their youth and inexperience when they can, such as through internships, externships, and requesting informational interviews," said Stevens.
ClearRock offers these job-search strategies to college and high school grads:
- In addition to pursuing full-time employment, devote at least part of your job-search to trying to get temporary contract assignments. "Although these positions may be structured very similarly to internships, try to avoid using that term. Some companies view internships as a commitment to having to continue them year after year, which they may not want to do. In lieu of a full-time job, grads should focus on getting a collection of contract experiences for modest wages to put on their resumes to use for better jobs down the road," said Greg Gostanian, managing partner with ClearRock.
- Seek out "externship" positions not only with nonprofit agencies, but with for-profit businesses, too. "Organizations may be more willing to let you use your education and gain experience in different areas on a volunteer or ‘extern' basis. Whether it leads to paid employment or not, it will help you build networking contacts, and add to your resume. Grads may also land unpaid externships to fill in for summer vacations," said Stevens.
- Ask for an "informational interview" to find out what companies do. "Although informational interviews rarely result in a job offer, it has occurred. Companies may be more willing to give informational interviews to recent graduates than to people who have been in the workforce for awhile, and this could be an advantage they can explore. Also, informational interviews for recent grads will be occurring during the slower period of the year, and timing may be in their favor," said Gostanian.
- Smaller employers may be more open to contract assignments, externships, and informational interviews than larger companies. "It may be easier for grads to create opportunities for themselves with the growing number of one-person, so-called ‘non-employer' businesses that are having growing pains, but can't afford - or don't want - to hire full-time employees. This is the fastest-growing type of business, and many have been started during the recession by people who have been laid off and couldn't find other jobs," said Stevens.
- Don't focus only on ‘name' nonprofits as places to volunteer. "With layoffs still occurring at an above-average pace, weak hiring, and President Obama's call for more involvement in our communities, nonprofit organizations with cache' now have waiting lists. Grads may be able to get experience more quickly by focusing on smaller, lesser-known civic and charitable organizations," said Gostanian.
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