By: Emily Komendera, Assistant Director of Employer Engagement
If you are searching for a job or internship, employers are out there looking for you on Handshake! Take a look at this list of 500 companies who are hiring now.
In the Business, Entrepreneurship and Consulting Career Community, we’ve seen COVID-19 impact our employers on both ends of the spectrum. From almost complete shutdowns in the travel and tourism sector of Hospitality to the boom in e-commerce from grocery and consumer package goods delivery, there have been a lot of highs and lows.
Below is some great advice for 2020 graduates from employers in Business, Entrepreneurship and Consulting industries.
Your Own Expectations Can Limit You
Perhaps no other age group understands more than those who have graduated during the financial crisis of the 2000s.
This article from Newsweek has great insight on how to prepare for job searching in a turbulent economy, “Get out of the mindset that it has to be a perfect job. You can start anywhere and ultimately get where you want to be,” says workplace expert Lindsey Pollak, who learned her job hunting skills while looking for work in New York City right after 9/11.
“Any job can teach you something valuable for your career moving forward.” Your own expectations can sometimes be your biggest roadblock, because the truth is, there are many types of work you might enjoy.
Oh The Places You’ll Go
Now more than ever, pivoting your career is the new norm. Twelve is the magic number for the average number of jobs held by an individual throughout their lifetime, and the first position you have out of college can surprise you with the variety of paths it can lead to.
“Initially, after college I wanted to work in the education field but found that my skills were transferable to the private security industry (which is hiring now). This has turned into an awesome and rewarding career.”
– Joshua Rich, G4S Solutions via LinkedIn
If you are looking for some industry inspiration, take a look at these industries that are growing amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Power of Loose Ties
If you’ve been in our office in the DePaul Career Center, you’ve perhaps heard about the “Hidden Job Market” before, and the importance of networking. Where is the best place to start, you may be wondering…
“In general, it is also useful to think about dormant ties, meaning people you have not been in touch with for quite a while but they are people you may have been close with in the past,” – Dorie Clark, author of “Entrepreneurial You” and Business Professor at Duke and Colombia
This means that people you already know might be able to help lead you to your next opportunity, and having a direct introduction or connection to an employer makes all the difference. “Most people are looking for some kind of assurance that their new employee will work out,” says Clark, and a connection of some sort “Puts you at the head of the pack compared to someone who they have no knowledge or data about.”
Putting This Advice into Practice
A great place to start looking for loose ties would be to make a list of companies and/or industries you’d like to work for. Then, go to LinkedIn, and search for those companies and industries, and note your 1st degree connections and 2nd degree connections.
Take a look at those, and reach out to your 1st degree connections for an informational interview if the type of work they do interests you. Reach out to your 2nd degree connections for an introduction to the individual who works at the company you’re interested in.
Bottom Line: While it may not feel this way at the moment, you have so many more options than you think you do in your career, and reframing some of that anxious energy to excitement can be just the boost you need to kick start this exploration journey!
Making an appointment with your BEC Career Advising team can provide just the dose of inspiration that you need.