How to Calm the Voices and Make Genuine Progress With Your First (Real) Job Search

I've spent some time talking to recent college graduates of late. I've also spent time speaking with their parents.

What a wild time to be heading out into the real world.

Ho-ly cow.

These conversations helped me immensely as I crafted our just-launched guides: How to Land Your First (Real) Job and How to Help Your Kid Get a Job (Without Being THAT Parent).

They also made it abundantly clear that plenty of those in the #Classof2020 (perhaps you) aren't just dealing with a global pandemic, the subsequent economic downturn, and a growing movement to turn systemic racism on its ear (phew!) ...

... they're worried that the "wrong" first job will negatively change the entire trajectory of their careers.

Compounding matters, they've got everyone from their professors to their parents to their significant others to the receptionist at the finally-open dentist's office giving them (often unsolicited) advice. And sure, some of that might be good advice. But often, it’s biased.

For instance, your mom may want you to take a stable job with outsized benefits at a company she’s heard of (so she can tell all her friends you work at Intel or Ford, not some startup she can’t pronounce). Linda, your supervisor at the golf course, may want you to stick around (so she doesn't have to hire anyone new). Your boyfriend of course wants you to apply in all the same cities he is. You get the drift.

Against this backdrop of self-talk, environmental stress and unsolicited counsel, it’s no wonder we’ve got a lot of young adults and a lot of parents out there stewing a great deal about what is to come.

I want to help you turn down the noise.

I want to help you understand, that— while important— your first job isn’t likely going to make or break you.

It’s OK to experiment.

It’s OK to take something that’s “not quite what you had in mind.”

Careers are long, and most of them change dramatically, several times along the way.

As an example … I’m a journalist-turned-PR-person-turned-marketing-director-turned-recruiter-turned-career-coach. My first “real job” out of college involved driving 51 miles (each way) for the pleasure of working at a tiny weekly newspaper in the booming metropolis of Marine City, Michigan, making less than $20K.

It was not, exactly, what I envisioned as “the perfect job” (not by a longshot) but it most certainly queued me up for my next job, as a reporter for the daily newspaper in my hometown (Royal Oak, Michigan). And, let me assure you — I truly enjoyed the 35% pay bump and three-minute commute. (Though I did miss the Great Lakes freighters tooting by our office windows a tiny bit.)

So, take it from me: Even if you don’t score “perfect” right out of the gates? You’ll learn something. And that something is going to help shape you into the amazing professional you’re about to become.

let us help you

New grads, parents of these amazing humans … we’ve got two new guides just for you. And they’re bundled together into a handy 2-for-1 package.

How to Land Your First (Real) Job is an easy-to-digest, arguably fun-to-read guide that will walk you step-by-step through the process of planning out your job search (in the year 2020), creating or shaping your resume, LinkedIn profile, and cover letter, preparing for an interview, negotiating an offer and settling into a brand new job.

How to Help Your Kid Get a Job (Without Being THAT Parent) is a companion guide designed to help you parents as you work to help your pride and joy navigate through this process … without getting too many eye rolls. It gives you tangible tips that will be genuinely useful to your graduate, and also shares some thoughts on what to never, ever, never (please, for the love), ever to in the name of being helpful.

YES! Show me these guides

New graduates — HUGE congratulations for your accomplishments, your resilience, and for all that you’re about to contribute to this world!

Get after it.