I Graduated and Can’t Find a Job — 1 Year After Graduation

What do you do when you can’t find a job?

If you graduated last year and can’t find a job after college, you probably feel like saying, “Help! I can’t find a job!” This time of year can naturally bring on increased stress. You are now facing the competition of yet another class of recent graduates entering the talent pool for employers. Even if you are working but “underemployed,” you probably face “the question” from well-intentioned family and friends: Isn’t it about time you found a real job?

You spent years working hard to graduate with your degree. Your big day came and went. You got a degree and can’t get a job.

If you think you know what you want to do, you might be thinking…

• I can’t find a job I enjoy

• I can’t find a job in my field

• I can’t find a good job

If your career path isn’t that clear, you might be thinking…

• What do I do after college?

• How do I find a job I like?

• Why am I struggling to find a job?

Whatever you’re thinking, we know you want to do everything you can to increase your chance of success in your job search.

How to Get a Job

IT’S A.B.O.U.T. TIME YOU LEARN HOW TO GET HIRED

Here’s an outline of the strategy we use at Priority Candidates. We want to transform your job search because it’s time to stop telling yourself “I can’t find a job” and start taking the actions that lead you towards finding a job you actually enjoy.

A – ASSESS YOUR CAPABILITIES

Start thinking about your career in its full context. Yes, it would help if you considered your recent education but, more holistically, factoring in the intersection of your personal behavioral traits, thinking styles, education, and interests to find your optimal and right-fit career path. Priority Candidates’ career assessment process utilizes the same sophisticated tools Fortune 1000 companies use to create career trajectories. We help you figure out what career path you should take, moving you through the complexities and toward the optimal outcomes, to help you find your best future career direction. You will find this experience helps reduce stress, gives you focus, and helps you gain confidence.

B – BUILD YOUR ASSETS

Does your cover letter say “recent grad” or “ready professional”? Are your resume and LinkedIn profile the best they can be? These are the first things hiring managers will see, and a bad introduction is an instant deal-breaker for people looking over dozens, if not hundreds or thousands, of recent college grads. The hiring process is the time to sell yourself and the work you’re capable of, so the assets you present must be meticulously prepared. Now is the time to get expert help to revamp your resume and LinkedIn profile, and to create a breakthrough cover letter that tells a hiring manager why they should hire you. These are essential job search tools that employers use to screen the talent they are considering.

O – OUTSHINE OTHERS IN INTERVIEWS

Do you know how to get ready for an interview? You will apply for many jobs during your job search, but only receive a few opportunities to interview with companies you like and tell your story directly. It is crucially important that you are prepared to do a stellar job framing your interests, talents, and readiness to work at the company. At Priority Candidates, our business communications experts provide extensive, personalized interview skills training sessions so you’ll stand out in a memorable way. Our experts partner with your career coach, assisting in your job search to continuously practice this essential life skill. Practice builds confidence in this job search fundamental.

U – UPSKILL TO BE MARKETABLE

Upskilling is crucial to developing your career, and never more so than at the beginning. Whether your academic work was in the humanities, a science, business, or something highly technical like computer engineering, there are skills you still need to add to your talent set. We help clients determine those critical skills. Beyond that, we help clients take immediate action; we provide technology training, via a strategic educational partner, in specialized skills to keep you moving forward to build readiness to excel in your job search and performance in your first role. We help clients begin building their life-long learning mindset in an action-oriented way.

T – TACKLE DETAILS TENACIOUSLY

We will help you examine where and how to apply for jobs, ensuring that you diversify your sources and tactics. Find relevant job boards and use them — there are hundreds of options, but only some will fit your needs. We will teach you how to network, helping you examine, leverage, and, most importantly, build your network. You will learn how to find “hidden jobs” in your field and cultivate people who will internally support your candidacy. Additionally, we will guide you to leave no avenue unexplored, leveraging resources from your alma mater, professors, and professional organizations in your field, to name a few.

Action fosters hope in a job search. We collaborate with you to identify and execute tactical steps that power your strategy.

If you believe these approaches would be helpful for you or someone in your family, consider career coaching with Priority Candidates. We start by evaluating if coaching will be a good fit for you — the recent graduate — and where you are on your career path. Our Career Assessment process will help you clarify your vision, unlock your capabilities, and possibly reveal a completely new set of career options.

Career coaching helps you determine the ideal next steps, and provides the expert assistance you need to execute — every step of the way. So, if you feel a bit stuck or are not confident in initiating or planning a comprehensive job search strategy, working with a career coach might make all the difference in your post graduation job search to land that optimal job and launch your career.