Job Market Outlook
For new college graduates, the job market is one of the strongest since the Great Recession. A report by Michigan State University's Collegiate Employment Research Institute shows that the Class of 2018 will benefit from a job market that has improved for seven years straight, a stretch not seen by the researchers in its 47-year history.
Why You Still Need to Stand Out
There are still many graduates competing for the same plum roles. "Organizations have their pick of who they want to hire," said Maryam Morse, Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry, on NPR’s Marketplace. Recent grads "don't want to miss out on opportunities because they appear unprepared or unprofessional to a potential employer," adds Tara Wyborny, Genesis10 Director—Junior Talent Programs.
To increase your chances of recruiters selecting your resume, contacting you for an interview, and ultimately hiring you for a position that fits your career plan, our recruiting team put together practical job search tips you can apply right away.
Practical Job Search Tips for Recent Graduates
Use a Professional Email Address
No matter how qualified you are, you still need an appropriate email address when applying to jobs. For instance, partygal92@emailprovider.com might have been okay when you were younger, but it’s not when launching your professional career. Take time to create an address that reflects professionalism.
Clean Up Your Online Presence
Lock down your Instagram and Facebook accounts and make sure your public content aligns with how you want to be seen at work. Recruiters know how to Google—it’s an easy way to get a more complete picture of a potential candidate. We don’t search in hopes of finding incriminating photos, but we do want to ensure there’s nothing public that could reflect negatively on our organization if you are hired.
Build a LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn is a great way to network and manage your online presence. Recruiters will look at it often. Use:
- A clear headline
- A concise summary
- Relevant coursework or projects to showcase your strengths
Prepare for Interviews
Many college seniors show up to interviews unprepared. Recruiters don’t expect you to memorize an entire website, but they do expect you to have a basic understanding of the organization and the role.
Bring Multiple Resumes and a Notebook
Bring multiple copies of your resume and a notebook to the interview. Extra resumes allow us to quickly share your information with others involved in hiring. A notebook signals engagement and interest—take notes and bring a few thoughtful questions about the role and company. Don’t show up empty-handed.
No Work Experience? Highlight Class Projects
If you have little or no work experience, provide detailed accounts of class projects that demonstrate the skills you want to use in your first job. Highlight:
- The problem or goal
- Tools and methods used
- Measurable outcomes
Record a Professional Voice Mail Message
Recruiters frequently call with updates, interview requests, and offers. A voice mail message that isn’t set up or says, “Yo, you have reached Chris, leave a message,” can quickly change our opinion of a candidate. First impressions matter.
Q&A
If the job market is strong for the Class of 2018, why do I still need to work so hard to stand out?
Answer: Even with a seven-year run of improvement in hiring, employers still have many qualified candidates and “their pick of who they want to hire.” That means professionalism and preparation are deciding factors. Showing up prepared, polished, and intentional helps you avoid missing out on opportunities simply because you appeared unprepared or unprofessional.
What does a professional online presence look like for a new grad?
Answer: Keep your public footprint clean and consistent with how you want to be seen at work. Use an appropriate email address (e.g., a variation of your name), lock down or clean up Instagram and Facebook, and expect recruiters to Google you. Aim for nothing in the open that could reflect negatively on you or a future employer.
What should my LinkedIn profile include as a recent graduate?
Answer: Create a clear, recruiter-friendly profile: a straightforward headline, a concise summary, and entries that highlight relevant coursework or class projects. Use those projects to showcase tools used and measurable outcomes so your strengths are easy to see at a glance.
How should I prepare for an interview, and what should I bring?
Answer: Know the basics about the organization and the role—recruiters don’t expect you to memorize the whole website, but they do expect evidence you’ve done your homework. Bring multiple copies of your resume for anyone involved in the process, and a notebook to take notes and reference a few thoughtful questions about the role and company. Showing up prepared and not empty-handed signals interest and professionalism.
What if I don’t have relevant work experience—how can I still be competitive?
Answer: Lean on class projects. Provide detailed accounts that mirror the skills the role requires, calling out the tools you used and the measurable outcomes you achieved. This turns academic work into evidence of capability and gives recruiters concrete examples to evaluate.
