Dear Graduates, It’s Not Going To Feel OK, But It Will Be

Dear Graduating Class of 2020 (and frankly, anyone looking for a job right now),

This is going to be a lot to take in, and it may at times feel daunting, but for you to be successful, you must listen. The old “rules” no longer apply. There’s a new playbook, and unfortunately, it’s being written as we speak. It’s time to get educated, creative, and strategic. You need to think outside the box that you have mentally put yourself in.

When I published my book, LEAVE YOUR MARK, in 2015, it was meant to be the mentor you never had. The tag line on the cover boldly states, “ Land your dream job. Kill it in your career. Rock social media. ” Sure, we all want to do that, but right now, I’m here to tell you that while I would love you to read my book (and it will help in a ton of ways), the idea of “ landing your dream job,” is a non-starter. Like, forget, I ever said it. At least for now…

But don’t despair. I’ve canvassed my network to provide you with advice from some of the best recruiters and executives I know. Everyone I spoke to was asked to give tactical, actionable advice to the graduating class of 2020.

So here goes...

JOB HUNT IN INDUSTRIES THAT MATTER RIGHT NOW

First, the good news: There are jobs. They just might not be the jobs you dreamed about when you were picturing yourself out of school. Kristy Hurt, CEO and Founder of KH Consulting recommends that to start, “Remove your ego and if you can’t get your dream job right now, do something that matters. Be the solution. How can you help right now? Create a service that we need.” If you don’t want to go the entrepreneur route, Hurt also recommends thinking about jobs in essential services. “The online streaming workout business is booming. Whether fitness, supplements, medical research, public relations, and marketing in all of these industries are still hiring. “

DON’T BE A GENERALIST: IDENTIFY YOUR SUPERPOWER

Karen Harvey, CEO and Founder of The Karen Harvey Companies emphasizes the importance of graduates recognizing this is not the time to sell yourself as a quick learner who can wear many hats. What are your core skills? “The companies that will take a chance on new graduates are leaders who see a drive, humility, and a real clarity in terms of what they bring to the table. Graduates cannot be generalists—I want them to be great writers, understand the culture, give insights to my brand. What is the consumer saying? Graduates need to be willing to do anything the business needs, but I don’t need them to wear a million hats when they don’t know what the hats look like. They need to hone in on what their core skills and talents are and sell those.”

YOUR BIG LIFE MAY HAVE TO WAIT, BUT YOU CAN STILL PROGRESS

Ann Shoket, the author of The Big Life , recalls how, during the 2008 recession, millennials had to figure out how to make their own magic—side hustles, internships, and small projects. Perhaps Graduate school if they could afford it— and lots of public service initiatives. “Hold onto your dream, but get a job—any job. It might be in an adjacent industry. This is not the time to be precious about what job you get; this is the time to get a job and learn how “work” works. It is also a time to take classes and fill in holes in your experience. We can’t sugarcoat this—people who are more experienced are competing for the same jobs. This will not feel like the first step toward your big life. You have to think, “How can I survive the next year or 18 months and still do something to keep myself moving ahead.”

HACK THE SYSTEM TO THE PERFECT RESUME

Lauren McGoodwin, CEO & Founder of Career Contessa and author of the book, “Power Moves” out May 19, 2020, advises, “On LinkedIn, choose five companies you are interested in and look up five roles with similar titles. Print out those job profiles and circle the commonalities that they have. You should be looking for keywords that describe the skills they are looking for. Those words should then be reflected on your resume. The job descriptions companies post are the secret to understanding what is required for the job.”

Tricia Logan, Managing Partner of the Global Retail Practice at DHR International, stresses the importance of getting your resume buttoned up with experience and accomplishments. “No one cares what classes you took. What can you do and hit the ground running? People need to do their homework. Be ready to do whatever it takes. There’s no skipping a step anymore. We are back to the days where you have to prove yourself and do what it takes to make an impression. It means doing more than what you are asked to do.” She is also not a believer in cover letters and thinks it’s much better to send a note in your outreach email with your resume (less to open).

FINDING A JOB IS A FULL-TIME JOB, BUT SELF-CARE FIRST

Lauren McGoodwin graduated during the recession of 2008. “I checked all the right boxes, but couldn’t find a job.” Suffering from what she calls an “extreme expectation hangover,” she ended up taking a role as an administrative assistant for a dental school. From there, she was able to transition into a recruiter at Hulu eventually. She built Career Contessa as a side hustle at Hulu.

So how do you job search during a recession? “Ensure that your mental and emotional health is still a priority. Nothing takes your confidence down quite like a job search where you are not hearing back from people or being rejected. Find support systems and create structure around your search. Set aside time and energy to work on your resume and tailor it for that specific job. Optimize your LinkedIn. It will make you feel good to apply to a ton of jobs—but don’t “spray and pray.” That means don’t send your resume to hundreds of companies just so you can feel productive. Fill your skills gap. There is no learning on the job. If the job profile lists a skill—make sure you take the initiative to learn that skill,” advises McGoodwin.

ALWAYS TAILOR YOUR PITCH

Nisha Chittal , Engagement Editor at Vox.com recommends making sure you do your research and be specific. “Hiring managers want to see in your cover letter or email that you are familiar with their brand, their work, and they want to know why you specifically want to work for this company. Copy-pasted applications tell hiring managers that you just want any job at any company rather than demonstrating why you specifically would be a good fit for this company. Tailoring your pitch to each position takes more time, but pays off in better results. So do fewer, but better, applications, and take the time to tailor each one to the specific company and position you’re applying for.”

NETWORK WITH PURPOSE

Tricia Logan says, “It’s a perfect time to really investigate the industry. Identify who you might know or who your parents or their friends might know. You need to identify a person—not someone in HR. Send an email like this: “While you may not be hiring, I would so appreciate it if you would be willing to do a quick 5-minute call. I would love to get your perspective on the industry.” Keep track of who you are reaching out to and follow up. Send a quick thank you for your time after you speak to someone.”

Ann Shoket advises, “Even if you don’t know anyone—get to know people in the industry you want to work in. Ann’s Badass Babes Facebook Group is a great resource for women early in their careers. Members trade information. Sometimes it’s an ask, but other times it’s a give. “Join as many professional organizations as you can. You never know who you will meet—the virtual summits that the Riveter and Luminary are doing are great. If your dream is to be in NYC- tap into those networks.”

Kristy Wallace, CEO of the Ellevate Network, a global women’s professional network, advises discarding the feeling that your reach is limited. “Reach out to local business leaders, alumni from your high school or college, the possibilities are endless. Be succinct and specific about what you are looking for. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for the person you are contacting to know how to help you (and the less time it will require). An example could be, “I’m Kristy and I recently graduated. I’m looking specifically to obtain an entry-level brand marketing role within a CPG company. If you have a connection, a lead on an opportunity, or any advice to share — I’d welcome a response.”

When approached by graduates, Laura Rowley, President of Rough Meadow Digital Media, asks the person to connect with her on LinkedIn, and then she does some cross-checking. “I ask the candidate to send the job link to me that she is interested in with a paragraph on why her skill set is perfect for the role, along with her resume. Then I forward that to my contact with a note. It’s a win-win-win — I’ve helped the job seeker take a step toward a tangible opportunity, enjoyed a chance to touch base with someone in my network, and connected my colleague with potential talent. I’ve found this is much more productive than having people spend time in endless informational interviews that don’t go anywhere.”

Deepti Sharma, Founder of foodtoeat.com and bikky.com, recommends offering to help on projects. “Try reaching out to folks you would want to work for and offer something you can help them with and remember to keep the message short and simple. I think that once the hiring freezes get lifted, it will be helpful for them to already have had a relationship with you and know how amazing you are.”

BE CREATIVE AND FLEXIBLE

Amy Shoenthal, Vice President of Digital at M Booth implores that graduates be flexible. “Our world is always going to be a bit uncertain, and that means lots of changes are ahead. They must get comfortable with change, be eager to learn new things, and be open to trying and failing.”

Lindsey Pollak, workplace expert and author of Getting From College to Career: Your Essential Guide to Succeeding in the Real World advises, “Be creative about the jobs you are looking for. Now is the time for out-of-the-box thinking about how your skills might apply to jobs or industries you hadn’t previously considered. For example, if your dream had been to work as a journalist because you are a strong writer, you could apply for jobs in public relations, nonprofit grant writing, teaching, tutoring, and more. Ask for friends and family (and your college career center professionals!) to help your brainstorm ways to cast the widest net possible in your job search.”

BE PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE

Kara Goldin, CEO of Hint, a healthy lifestyle brand known for its delicious unsweetened, fruit-flavored water, and host of the podcast, Unstoppable with Kara Goldin . “By the time I graduated from college in 1989, the job market had slowed down so I bought airline tickets to LA, Chicago, and NYC and started knocking on doors. While it was a bold move, the risk paid off. After three weeks on the road and 90 interviews, I took a job in Manhattan at the global mass media company, Time, Inc. I started out as an executive assistant in a department that managed the placement of magazines with major airlines. What it taught me early on in my career was to get direction and execute. Ask around if you need help figuring stuff out. And learn to trust your gut.”

Lindsey Pollak , advises, “The worst mistake you can make right now is to be paralyzed by this situation. It is awful, but there are jobs, and you have to take action to get them. Every day, apply for one new position, update one section of your resume or LinkedIn profile, reach out to one networking contact to ask for support. Tap into the free resources offered by your college career center. Sign up for a career coaching session, a resume review, a LinkedIn profile review, an interview prep session, and an assessment test. The professionals at your career center are experts in entry-level hiring and are also the most knowledgeable about where jobs are currently available. They can also often introduce you to hiring managers at companies.”

Michelle Madhok , online shopping expert and founder of the deals site shefinds.com  says, “Sometimes making a first move can be overwhelming. You can get demotivated and stuck in decision fatigue. When I feel this, I force myself to do something. For example, talk to 3 people in my industry about a problem I’m having. Or signup for a webinar on something that interests me.”

LEARN HOW TO TALK ABOUT YOURSELF & SPRING CLEAN YOUR ONLINE PROFILES

In LEAVE YOUR MARK, I wrote several chapters on how to build your personal brand, both online and in real life. It matters more than ever. Your online presence is exhibit B right after your resume. Make sure you like the message you are sending. Go through all your social platforms and delete posts that no longer serve your professional goals. Make sure your bio on each is working for you, not against you. Be consistent.

Meredith Fineman is the Founder and CEO of FinePoint and the author of the book “ Brag Better : Master the Art of Fearless Self-Promotion , ” out June 2020. Brag Better is about touting your work and singing your own praises, and why it matters. “Your accomplishments are worth talking about. It might feel scary or icky, but you’re going to have to be more explicit about these facts than ever,” states Fineman.

If you have read this far, congratulations, you are very serious about your job hunt. With motivation, strategy, and positive thinking, you will succeed. Your career growth won’t move as quickly as your social media timelines, so remember patience is a virtue. Ask people for advice and counsel and pay forward what you learn. The payoff will come back in spades. You can always reach out to me for career advice at askaliza@alizalicht.com. Good luck!

This article was written by Aliza Licht from Forbes and was legally licensed by AdvisorStream through the NewsCred publisher network.