Hit The Gas! Why The Holidays Are Prime Time for Spring Graduates And Internship Seekers

iStock | AndreyPopov

Even though it’s the season for family and celebration, it’s important to resist the temptation to pause your job search during the holidays. For recent or proactive soon-to-be graduates pursuing their first professional job, that advice is even more important. 

It is true that the last quarter of the year is different from January to September. It is the busiest time of the year for many businesses (e.g., retail), finance departments crunch year-end numbers, and normal workflows are disrupted by holidays, holiday events, and vacations. The completely understandable perception is that companies sideline their recruitment efforts during the holidays, but that perception is wrong.

However, for recent and soon-to-be graduates, now is the perfect time to launch your job search for a multitude of reasons specific to your circumstances. Here’s why:

1. It takes time to get a good resume ready. Your resume is more than a list of what you’ve done. Your resume should focus on your achievements and experience, but it should also tell the story of who you are. Give yourself the time to consider how you want to market yourself and craft a resume that will help land that first big job.

2. College career fairs start in January for April-May graduates or summer internships. January is prime time for college career fairs. This is because employers take their time evaluating young candidates for coveted internships and employment. College fairs are an excellent way to make connections with employers you’re interested in, but they aren’t a hire-on-the-spot kind of thing.

3. Employers recruit in the early spring. As in January (well, it’s still winter, but it’s considered the spring semester). Employers who are interested in hiring recent graduates launch recruitment efforts in the spring – near graduation. This is because recruiting employees is expensive and requires a great deal of time and effort. At the very latest, you should have a solid resume and strategy in place by January.

4. Preparation is an advantage. The top students and graduates who know exactly what they want to do will have a leg up in the job search game. It follows that, in theory, a top student who knows exactly what they want to do will have the easiest path. However, you can be a top student and still wait until the last minute to initiate a proper job search. If you start preparing now, you will have a leg up on your peers when robust recruitment efforts rev up in the spring.

5. 5Internships. There is no better way to establish professional relationships than a humble internship. If you worked any internships during your college career, you have contacts and experience that others do not. An expanded network of professional contacts made working an internship (or two!) is another great advantage when seeking permanent full-time employment post-graduation.

If you play your hand well, you use the holidays to work on your resume, attend a career fair in January and make some great connections, follow up with the most promising leads and any other contacts you may have at least once before April, and position yourself to submit your resume directly to a recruiter or hiring manager for a job you know you want.

Imagine both scenarios. You’ve zeroed in on what you believe is the perfect job for you. You spend two hours laboring through the many steps of submitting a cover letter and resume online and after you hit “submit”, your candidacy disappears into a digital void and you wait. And wait. And wait. Or you email your cover letter and resume to the recruiter or hiring manager because you kept in touch with their company’s representative after meeting and talking with them on campus.

If one of those paths seems easier than the other that’s because it is, and it’s more effective. Circumventing online job application systems, job boards, etc. is a significant way to increase your chances of getting an interview. This is a point of emphasis. There is a tangible payoff for developing connections early with potential employers and preparing for your job search in advance (e.g., resume, LinkedIn profile).

Also, if you graduated early (i.e., December), don’t pause until the new year. See if you can make some headway while everybody else sits on the sidelines for a month. If you’re heading into your final semester, don’t pause until the new year, be ready for the new year.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

But I Don't Want To Go To Work! – Or – What To Do When Your Employer Says It's Time To Come Back To The Office

iStock | egdigital

Your professional life may not be a smooth ride. Think of the labor market as a pendulum. One moment it swings toward employers. The next moment it swings to employees. The pandemic disrupted that pattern and had two significant impacts: what is now called The Great Resignation and the normalization of remote work.

A tug-of-war about the future of remote work has been going on for a couple of years now. Let’s start with the good news. Remote work is a big hit – with employees and employers. If you’re currently in a remote job or want one, the data looks good. Many companies are continuing to allow employees to work remotely, and others are staking out the middle ground with hybrid models.

However, the pendulum is slowly swinging back to employers, who feel empowered and in control again. Companies that wish for their employees to return to the office will start to issue ultimatums to existing employees and make new open positions in-office only. If you’re one of the 26.7% of working Americans in a fully remote job and your company tells you it’s time to pull the plug and return to the office, what do you do? Here are some things to consider:

• Breathe. Know that fundamental shifts take time, like turning a big ship. While circumstances vary, companies are not likely to pull remote workers back in one swift move. Upheaval is what led to the historic rise in remote work in the first place. Upheaval as a strategy to return workers to the office makes the transition more difficult for all. Return to the office may be phased in until the staffing structures return to pre-pandemic levels.

• Take a holistic approach to make an honest self-assessment of your desires and opportunities. Whether you’re currently working remotely or want to, know there are risks, rewards, and sacrifices to planting your flag in the remote camp and returning to the office. Only you can determine the best way forward.

•  For the sake of argument, let’s say you know a return-to-the-office mandate is on the way and it comes with a hard deadline. You can accept the new terms or you’re out of a job. You know you have two options – stay or leave. Take the time to think about the steps you need to take to successfully navigate both. Is returning to the office such a bad thing? Or would you rather risk finding a new remote job? You can also bide your time - go back to the office while looking for another remote opportunity.

• Have an open discussion with your manager. If a mandate is inevitable, get as much clarity as you can about how it will progress. Don’t make assumptions or let rumors give you unnecessary anxiety. There may be no flexibility. But, in some cases, you may be able to make the business case that you remain fully or partially remote.

• If you can make the case to remain fully or partially remote, you must be able to present evidence (like you’re in a courtroom) to prove you add more value remotely than in-office. It can’t be a 1-1 proposition. If you add the same value remotely as you do in-office, then you’re headed back to the office or somewhere else. Companies expect a healthy ROI on their investments and that includes staffing. If you’re remote, you don’t have the same visibility as someone who is in the office; your work may be invaluable but there may not be a clear understanding that you’re responsible for it. Lay out your case.

•  You may be in an office job now but, encouraged by recent trends, want to work remotely. The number of fully remote workers is expected to increase, but that doesn’t mean opportunities will increase in your field. For example, if you work in IT, which already had a fair number of remote workers pre-pandemic, you’re going to have more remote work opportunities in the future than someone who works in retail. Do your homework before you choose a path. Monitor job openings. If the remote job postings dwindle and become super-competitive, assess your parameters for how you make a living. In other words, is a having a job that doesn’t offer working remotely as an option a deal breaker?

• Job security means something different to a parent with a house full of kids than it does to young professionals at the dawn of their careers. There is reason to believe that remote workers are the first to be fired. That’s not a guarantee. Everybody’s circumstances are different, but you may be more vulnerable than your co-workers. Once again, when you work remotely, you’re less visible than in-office employees. Out of sight out, out of mind. Rank your job requirements and see where job security falls in comparison with the benefits you may gain working remotely.

• If you’re uncompromising about working remotely, 16% of U.S. businesses are fully remote. Here is twenty-five of them. Put in the time and effort to learn about companies with full or majority remote workers and see if you discover endeavors perfect for you.

• The pendulum will continue to swing, and the tug-of-war about the future of remote work is likely to continue on different fronts (e.g., the future may be hybrid). This is a fluid situation. Monitor the tea leaves. See which way the wind blows. As always, do your homework. The only way to make informed decisions is to keep yourself informed.

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Your Second Act – Getting Ready For Your Next Career

iStock | nbela

Let’s talk about second acts in work lives. Recently, a photo of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame superstar pitcher Randy Johnson (22 seasons, 1988 – 2009) behind a huge camera on the sidelines of an NFL game in 2011 went viral. Randy Johnson, somebody who doesn’t even need a second act, reverted to his college major at the University of Southern California - photojournalism. He retired from baseball and became a professional photographer. Check out Randy’s photos. They’re pretty great for someone with a 102-mph fastball.

Granted, Randy Johnson is not your average person. When he retired from the Major leagues, he had financial security and options, but I doubt starting a photography business was the easiest or most lucrative path he could have chosen. Randy could have cashed out in many, less risky ways such as product endorsements or broadcasting, but he chose to turn a passion into a profession.

There are many second acts happening now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 47 million workers voluntarily left their jobs in 2021 and it’s safe to say that the majority are not famous athletes. The Great Resignation continues unabated. The top reasons include, “lack of advancement opportunities, flexible hours and location, and lack of childcare.” (Workamajig.com). What are those 47 million people doing with the next chapter of their professional lives? No idea, but there’s a good chance some of them decided to voluntarily leave their jobs with the intent of starting a new profession.

All passions are not created equal. If Randy Johnson spent twenty-two years as a professional photographer and then tried to play Major League baseball, I doubt he would have had the same success. Within reason, anybody can turn a hobby or passion into a paying gig. Maybe you’re already doing something on the side that you want to be full-time. Like Randy, maybe you want to exhume a love from your past. If you want to turn your passion into a profession, here is a series of assessments that may help you navigate the possibilities:

1.     Assess Your Skill Level

 How good are you at whatever it is you plan to do? Can you operate on a professional level? For example, let's say you love making videos for Tik Tok and you get lots of likes and followers. Does that mean you can get up tomorrow and be a professional videographer? Probably not. But if you are able to produce videos with consistent production value you have the makings of a professional. 

 A good way to assess where you fall versus professionals who already do what you want to do is to spend some quality time on LinkedIn. Once you've read fifty videographer profiles you will 1) get a glimpse of what a recruiter's life is like, and 2) get a very good idea of what it means to be a videographer for a living. It is also probable you will discover many different types of jobs that videographers can do. For example, in the digital marketing world video is king, so people who know what they are doing are in high and constant demand. 

2.     Assess Your Financial Situation

Even if resources are not an immediate concern, it is still a good idea to determine the financial impact of a new direction. Taking a side gig and making it your primary source of income isn't free. It is wise to create a detailed personal budget so you can accurately assess how long you can go before your new gig has to pay for stuff like gas and food, which are now $1 million dollars a month each. Yes, hyperbole, but it feels like $1 million dollars, doesn’t it?

 Research what kind of compensation you can expect once your new career begins in earnest and compare it to your baseline expenses (e.g., mortgage/rent, health care, child care, car, insurance, etc.). Look at your current discretionary expenses and rank what you can or will eliminate if necessary. Try and create as complete a portrait of your financial landscape as possible. Sacrifices may have to be made to turn your passion into a profession. If you know what those sacrifices are you should be able to make a more informed choice as to whether pursuing that path is truly what you want to do.

3.     Assess Your Access to Capital

 If you want to take your passion to the next level, you may need money. You can work for somebody else, spend your own money, spend somebody else’s money, or a combination of all three.  Think of the rich people who run for political office and "lend" their campaigns money (power is an expensive hobby). There is no guarantee they're getting any of it back. You might not either.

If you want to open a store, purchase professional equipment, have an integrated marketing strategy, and have normal business stuff like wi-fi networks, printers, printer paper, and paper clips neatly stored in a locked supply cabinet, you will need capital.

·      Do you have personal capital you can invest?

·      Do you know people who may be willing to invest in your business?

·      Do you know anyone who works in venture capital or private equity?

·      Explore business loans offered by banks.

·      Research and talk to the Small Business Administration.

4.     Assess Your Access to Expertise

Who, do you know? The easiest way to learn something is to be taught by somebody who is already doing it. Even if you are an undiscovered virtuoso whose abilities are beyond reproach, there are many things you don’t know how to do.

Here is an example – luxury picnics. I have no idea how many luxury picnic businesses there are, but I know there is one where I live and they’re pretty great at what they do. I do not know the history of the company, but I know that if somebody decides to go into luxury picnics, they must have a passion for picnics. Somebody loves picnics so much they said “I want to throw luxury picnics for a living.” While that person, or people, may know how to put together an amazing picnic, they may not know anything about starting a business or the administration of event management.

The converse can also be true. The person who loves picnics may be a business person who knows how to start and run companies but couldn’t throw a nice picnic if their life depended on it. Either way, they need outside expertise to get to where they want to go. So, who do you know?

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Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.