It’s that time of the year again. Seniors are crossing fingers, saying prayers and hoping for employment after May 17.
Finals are turned in, grades are being calculated and resumes have been e-mailed. The hardest part awaits – the uncertainty.
I’ve heard countless stories of my friends stressing out because they have yet to procure a job. With employment comes a sense of peace about the unknown future.
But it seems as if those jobs are hard to come by. You apply to 30 jobs and maybe hear from one or two — if you’re lucky.
According to the article, “The Surprising Reason Why College Grads Can’t Get a Job” by CNBC, published on Jan. 29, 2014, “Young people aged 18 to 34 have struggled with double-digit unemployment and account for half of the 10.9 million unemployed Americans, according to government figures.”
But why are Millennials struggling to get hired?
According to “Are Millenials Ready for the 21st-Century Workforce?” published on Nov. 21, 2013, by Michele Walsh at Bentley University, “Millennials think they’re ready for work, but many employers beg to differ.”
The article goes on to say that nearly three-quarters of hiring managers complain Millennials aren’t prepared for the job market and lack “work ethic.”
Hiring managers have said recent applicants fail to think critically and creatively, solve problems or write well. These are the basics that should be instilled in us since elementary school, so why are we failing in these essential areas?
When I apply for jobs, I have to sell myself to the hiring manager. Why would he or she want me? I think we have experience, skills and knowledge but we don’t know how to articulate those skills.
How do I take what I’ve done in class and apply that to the job description? That’s where creativity comes in. You must learn to think outside the box.
Those class projects on which I spent hours taught me how to delegate effectively with people and meet deadlines. College has taught us time-management skills, how to balance our lives and more.
We communicate with classmates and professors daily. We have spent the past four years of our lives polishing our strengths. Figure out a way to translate those to hiring managers and they will be impressed.
“The recession did substantial damage to the U.S. labor market, including for young college graduates, and we still have a ways to go before things are back to where they should be,” said Gloria Larson, president of Bentley University.
So while the times are tough, there are still steps we can take to help us get hired: Take experiences from college and translate those on your resume, get experience with internships, practice professionalism and continue to craft your writing skills.
Hiring managers tend to ask the same questions to their interviewees: What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is a situation that you had to overcome? Where do you see yourself in five years? How would you make this company a better organization? What do you bring to the table?
You need to learn to perfect your ‘elevator pitch.’ This is a 30-second short summary used to simply and quickly define a person. Learn how to describe who you are in a short amount of time. This will not only impress your hiring manager, but it will allow he or she to see your full potential that you bring to their organization.
Practice what you are going to say before you head into an interview. You may have great communication skills, but tense situations can make even the best interviewees nervous and anxious.
As Millennials, we tend to get a bad reputation.
We are spoiled, self-centered and think we are the best of the best. At least, that’s what a lot of people already in the workforce think of us.
So let’s prove them wrong. We are worth their time, their money and their training. Go out there and prove it.
Mckenzie Masters is a senior public relations major and the editor-in-chief.
Quick Facts:
- “Young people aged 18 to 34 have struggled with double-digit unemployment and account for half of the 10.9 million unemployed Americans, according to government facts and figures.”
- “Millennials think they’re ready for work, but many employers beg to differ.”
- Nearly three-quarters of hiring managers complain Millennials aren’t prepared for the job market and lack “work ethic.”
- “The recession did substantial damage to the U.S. labor market, including for young college graduates, and we still have a ways to go before things are back to where they should be.”
- Figure out a way to translate skills and strengths to hiring managers
- Learn to perfect your ‘elevator pitch’ and focus on being able to describe yourself in 30 seconds or less.
Well done Mckenzie!