If you’re searching for a job or internship this spring, you might be noticing a whole lot of… well, nothing. After application after application, you’re still not getting any responses – or the responses you’re getting are rejections. But you’re not alone – the job market is tough, perhaps the toughest its been since Millennials graduated and were job searching after the housing market collapse of 2008 (and some say it’s as bad as the dotcom bubble burst in the 1990s, or even Great Depression levels of bad).
Regardless of what historical remix we’re in, it’s important to know that it’s not just you. You are not alone in struggling to find work. The average job search at the beginning of this year took six months according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal job cuts have eliminated a massive amount of roles and leaves an already unstable economy that much more unstable. And the job market itself is frozen – people are not leaving their jobs and companies are not creating new roles.
So what’s a college grad or prospective intern to do? We’ve got some support tools to help make this hard process a little more bearable.
Tip 1: Rely on your community
You might hear folks talk about networking – using professional connections for mentorship, support, and industry connections. You can also think about it as community building. It’s about more than just leveraging people in your industry or the organization you want to work. It’s about finding and connecting with people to help support you in this arduous (and lengthy) process. Stay connected to your peers – friends, classmates, people you’ve met from other schools – and ask them for advice. What’s working for them? What’s not working? Do you need to get some mocktails and just blow off some steam about the search process?
Faculty mentors and professors are also part of your community or network – they have connections not just to employers but also to alumni who can also help you. And never underestimate any personal connection – even if they can’t help you find a job, hanging out with your siblings or a family friend can be a great way to give yourself a mental break from the job search.
And regardless of whether 70% of job seekers find jobs through networking or not, community connections will help motivate you, inspire you, and provide information you might not know you needed. Never underestimate the power of connecting with a recruiter or alumni on LinkedIn – it may be exactly what you need to move your job search forward.
Tip 2: It’s the market… and also how’s your resume looking?
While the job market may be the large underlying issue, having a strong resume is absolutely vital. Making sure it’s easy to read, free of formatting mistakes, and is ATS friendly can prevent automatic rejections for jobs. Not sure where to start to make your resume ATS-friendly? Our resources and career coaches can help you, as can JobScan. JobScan offers free resume review (up to 5 times a month) that can tell you how well your resume matches the job your applying for, based on ATS features. They also have a great wealth of resources available, including ATS information and guides.
Thinking about how your skills and experiences show up on your resume is also important – not just for ATS, but to make sure you’re clearly articulating what you’ve done and how it’s unique to you. If you’re worried you might have some skill or knowledge gaps, consider what experiences you might want to add to close those gaps or if you need some supplemental experiences – such as a certification or micro-internship through Forage or Parker Dewey.
Tip 3: If it’s optional, do it
Are you writing cover letters? Are you sending thank you notes after interviews? Is your LinkedIn up to date (or do you have a LinkedIn)? There are many pieces to the job search process and in a tough market, going the extra step can help.
Tip 4: Take care of yourself
The job search is a marathon, not a sprint. Make sure to pace yourself, take breaks, and avoid burnout. Use our self-care tools to help make a plan or rely on previously created strategies to put your metal and physical wellbeing first.
Tip 5: Mind your business
A law student at a visit the Strommen Center took to Mitchell-Hamline shared this advice with students: “Mind your business.” She elaborated that there may be a lot going on around you and you may feel tempted to compare yourself to others, but this will only keep you from focusing on you and doing the real work. There are a lot of opinions about what will get you a job, what Gen Z and Gen Alpha is like (and why employers will or will not hire them), and whether or not your college degree is worth it. Much of this advice is a lot of harmful, hurtful, and simply untrue. Block out the noise and focus on you.
Tip 6: Connect with Strommen
If you’re struggling with any part of the job search, know you have us to rely on. We’re here to help – with resume review, networking support, career planning, job search support, and general advice. As an alum, you have access to us as well – simply log into Handshake and update your email to a personal one (so you don’t lose access to your account after graduation), or email us at careers@augsburg.edu if you need to regain access.
It’s a tough market, but it doesn’t have to be tough on you.
