Advice for When Your Chosen Career is not Available
A great deal of college graduates will be facing disappointment this year. They will spend four years studying about a subject, but then when they graduate, they realize that their chosen jobs are simply not available.
What should these graduates do when they cannot find the jobs they have prepared so hard for?
- Change your expectations. Remember that right now it is very difficult to get a job without prior experience. If your first job offer is not related to your choice of career, learn to compromise. Look at it as an opportunity to acquire transferable skills, which employers will be looking for when you do manage to switch over to your chosen career.
- Learn to network effectively. Develop contacts while still in college so that by the time you are ready to graduate, your network has already become strong. Target people who work or have contacts in your desired industry. Learn to utilize online networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn effectively to develop your contacts.
- Leverage the power of the Internet. Accept the fact that you might not find your chosen career in your own city or even in your country. Learn to use the Internet effectively to locate potential employers based in different countries and apply online. It is not, however, a good idea to move to a new city or country before getting a job. If you do decide to take this step, be prepared to take up less desirable employment to help you meet your expenses.
- Never underestimate part-time jobs and internships. A part-time job or internship not only helps you keep your skills updated, but it also shows that you have not been idle all this time. They are especially useful for those job seekers who want to make a career shift but are unable to do so because they lack experience.
