The most dreaded question to a college senior is “What are you going to do after graduation?” Thinking about life after college is overwhelming for many, not to mention beginning your career during the biggest recession since the Great Depression and an 8.5 percent federal unemployment rate.

People are showing up by the thousands for job fairs. Those who are 40 or 50 years old are taking on summer jobs typically held by teenagers. Every morning, news shows feature career experts who provide advice on how to find jobs in this extremely difficult job market.

That is the bad news. Now here is the good news: Your degree is from Whitman College.
Over the past four years you have learned to think critically, creatively solve problems and have gained strong communications skills. You have research skills; you can analyze and interpret data. You have held leadership roles, delegated tasks and managed projects. You know how to prepare presentations and organize events.

Most job seekers are unprepared. They lack focus and apply for anything they can find. Whitman graduates have the education, skills and experience employers want.

Unprepared job seekers blast out resumes and don’t take the extra step to make them specific to each position. Ask not what an organization can do for you, but what you can do for the organization; keep the focus on the employer’s needs. The harsh reality is that most employers don’t care what you want to learn from the job and how you hope to grow and develop. They want to know what you bring to the organization. If you are wondering if you have skills employers want, rest assured, you do! You just need to be prepared.

To become a successful job seeker, first develop a focus. That may sound scary to many students who have so many interests and passions. One thing to keep in mind is that being 100 percent focused and appearing 100 percent focused are two very different things. Appear focused to a potential employer.

Second, realize your skills. The best way to do this is reflect on your experiences from campus and summer jobs, internships, volunteer, student organizations, leadership roles and athletics. Transferable skills such as teamwork, communication skills, initiative, project management and a strong work ethic should be emphasized in job search correspondence.

Third, network, network, network! In a tough job market the single most important thing anyone can do is network. Right now employers are reluctant to list positions because they become inundated with applications. It is much easier to hire a friend or relative of a current employee than to go through the time and expense of listing a position, sorting through hundreds of resumes and cover letters, and conducting interviews.

Don’t count on waiting for advertised positions. Be proactive and let everyone you are acquainted with know that you are looking for employment and the field in which you are looking.
We are here to help! The Career Center serves alumni as well as students. Our services are available at any point in your career.