At this point in my life, my mind is focused almost solely on what will happen after May 13, 2012. Graduation. The real world. A job.
It’s that last one that seems to keep nagging at me. As someone who has spent my entire life in Kansas — save for summers away at sleep-away camp and a semester abroad — I want to move. I want to live in a city, rely on public transportation, and be somewhere new. But as a broke college student, the idea of moving without knowing I’ll have a steady paycheck each month seems impossible.
I’ve been updating my resume, scouring websites and applying for jobs. But so far, nothing. So I reached out to some contacts — friends of my parents’, family, old bosses, the like. This got me thinking. Is it not enough anymore to have a packed resume, multiple internships and a good GPA to get a good job right out of school? Or even any job after graduation? Do you have to know exactly the right people in order to get where you want to go? I think so. But more importantly, I think you have to be courageous enough to reach out to people and let them know you are looking for employment.
While it takes courage to ask people if they can contact anyone on your behalf, I also think it takes a certain level of humility. Admitting that you’re not getting very far on your own during a job search can feel like defeat, but talking to people and just letting them know you are available can open doors you never even thought possible. Employees in the human resources department don’t know you, making it easier to say no to you. But reaching out to people that you have an established relationship with can help pave the way to a job you might actually be happy in.
I’m still in the process of looking, but throughout my search, I’ve found that people genuinely want to help. They won’t sandbag their contacts, in fact it’s the opposite. So take time to say hi to friends of your parents or send a quick email to an old boss. You never know who might be inclined to help you in the future.
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