Graduates Should Prepare for a Fiercely Competitive Job Market

Colleges may return to normalcy in a few months as the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines continues.

Meanwhile, in sharp contrast to that positive news, millions of college students will graduate this spring facing bleak employment prospects.

Unemployment soared in 2020 and is expected to affect the job market for graduates again this year. These sobering trends are why students should expand their preparation for the job market and know what action steps they need to take, says Vince Thompson, CEO of the marketing agency MELT and author of Building Brand You: How To Use Your College Experience To Find And Win Your First Job.

“To use a fishing analogy, it’s going to take a lot of casts to get a few bites for interviews and ultimately land the job.”

• Build your brand. Hiring managers often seek well-rounded young people who can communicate, collaborate and create,” Thompson says. “They’re looking for people who have been active outside the classroom as well – in clubs, the community, volunteer work, etc. All of these aspects are part of your brand. Also, the new litmus test in the job market will be, ‘What did you do to improve yourself and others during COVID?”

• Organize your marketing playbook. “Leverage your abilities and interests on social media platforms,” Thompson says. “This is where you display your public brand. Your profile, posts, photos, and videos reflect what you’re about. It’s key that your presentation and message are consistent on each platform that you use.”

• Expand your networking. “Today, about 75 percent of new hires happen through networking,” Thompson says. “Build a target list of people to contact at companies that are hiring. Join discussion groups on LinkedIn that can expand your contacts.”

• Upskill. Research skills required in fields that you’re pursuing and get credentialed through online training programs.

• Prepare for virtual interviewing. “When you interview in person, your body language, enthusiasm, handshake and small talk help build a connection with the interviewer,” Thompson says. “Being interviewed on a screen demands that you be fully engaged, establish a rapport, have continual eye contact and express yourself clearly.”