This morning, I got an amazing call. I was given an offer for a full time position at a local company with great benefits. I haven't even graduated college yet.
Yup, I am one of those students who secures employment that will start right out of college. And you wonder how did I do it?
Many students wish they were in my place. Many wish, once they have that bachelor's degree under their wing, that they can go straight into full time employment. No more part-time, customer service jobs that seem to be all everyone works in college. You want to get into those adult positions, you yearn for a normal schedule, 40 hours a week, a constant and nice cash flow.
But you wait til you are done with college. You think, it'll look better if you wait. That way I for sure have my degree. Or you say you don't have time to submit applications, hone your resume, go on interviews and you don't want to pressure of waiting. Then when you walk across that stage, you stand there asking yourself, "now what?" You put all your time into finding a full time job, many people are not making any money as they are no longer working at all, and some move home even when they don't want to. (I'm not saying that it is a bad thing to move home, some people just feel guilty or stuck when they do).
It's not too late to apply for jobs. I will say this, 3 months ago, I hadn't really applied for anything full time. I knew at the end of May I was going to lose my current job because I can't be an RA after I graduate. I was going to lose my apartment too. I also knew that I wouldn't be able to work the front desk after the 1st of September unless I signed a lease to stay in my current complex.
It really didn't hit me until I was annoyed with everyone who was asking me, "What are you going to do after graduation?" All I could say was get a job. They'd ask if I had looked. All I could say was no.
When Spring Break hit, I knew I was getting close and there was now all this uncertainty that was going to drive me crazy. So I looked around and started applying for just about anything that I would be qualified for and many that I was "overqualified" for. The job market is bleak and it is frustrating out there, I can tell you this.
But I had one thing in my back pocket, all the people I have met. You have no idea what all the professionals that came into your life in college can do for you. Over your years at university, you have met people, made friends, expanded yourself. I was just like this.
We have a pizza place on campus. My second year here, it was taken over by a nice couple who had moved back to Michigan. The husband was a graduate of my university. I got to know them, quite well even. At the end of my second to last year, the wife left the business as she had found better employment. When I saw her around one night, she told me all about the company that she worked for, and I thought it was something that I would be interested in pursuing after graduation. So I thought, why not? So I applied. It was one of many places I had applied to in a fury of filling out applications, uploading resumes and hoping for the best.
A week later I got a call back. It was her assistant. This woman I had gotten to know through the campus pizza place was one of the HR people for the company. Her assistant put me through a phone interview and I hoped for the best.
A week later, I got a call asking me to come in for an interview. A week later I did that. I dressed to the nine's and walked in with a confidence that I have never had in an interview. Because I knew this woman (who I am not naming just in case), I had to interview with someone else with the company. The two ladies who interviewed me made me feel very comfortable and I felt like I made all the right answers and they even gave me a nice rundown about the job and the benefits that it included if I were to get it. They told me I would know in a week.
A week came...and went. I heard nothing. I called the HR assistant and got his voicemail just to check in on the status. Nothing. So I started to give up hope and realize that I probably won't get the job.
So I applied more places. I even applied places I didn't expect to apply. But I did it anyway because I needed to find a job this summer.
Then this morning, this glorious morning, about an hour after I turned in my last assignments of my undergrad, I got a call. And it was a good call. I got the offer for the position with the company. Pending background and drug testing, I will be a full time employee starting in the middle of May.
And that is exciting.
So, you can find a job. Take the time to apply everywhere online. Look at the people you know and the companies they work for. If you aren't quite to graduation, start getting to know more people on campus. There are a plethora of people who could be your ticket to full time employment.
Get yourself out there. Graduation doesn't have to be the big unknown. You can get all your ducks in a row and set yourself up to succeed!
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