As most of my blog followers know, in addition to working with private clients as a career coach and professional resume writer through The Resume Resource, I also serve as Assistant Director of the Center for Internships and Career Development at Eastern Connecticut State University. Between these two roles, I work with a wide range of people helping them to identify their ideal career path and develop the tools, strategies and confidence to achieve their career goals.
Over the last few months, I have been approached by quite a few parents of new college grads looking for resume and job search assistance for their children. In most cases, these alumni have graduated from expensive private colleges, and despite the fact that the family has paid well over $150K in tuition over the 4 years, many of these new grads are still unemployed and unsure of how to navigate the challenging 2014 job market. The parents are surprised when I recommend that they reach out to their child’s alma mater and request free career assistance from their career center.
A college or university’s career center exists solely to help the institution’s students and alumni, and students have already paid for their services through their tuition payments. I was stunned to learn that in most cases, the students and their parents were unaware of the free career-related services available to the students both while they are in school and after graduation. At Eastern, where tuition is much more affordable, we pride ourselves on providing a small private college experience at a state university price. I am part of a dedicated career development staff that provides a variety of services available to all students and alumni. We promote a 4-year career development plan and proactively reach out to our students throughout their academic career to make them aware of the free career counseling, internship assistance, workshops and resources available to them. We help our students develop lifelong career development skills that will help them launch and succeed in their professional careers. Most other institutions of higher education do the same. Investigate the career services offered by your institution and request their assistance.
There are many great jobs out there going unfilled because employers cannot find qualified candidates. If a recent college graduate is unemployed, it is typically because either their resume is not selling them well enough or they are not using the most effective job search strategies. Fortunately, both of these problems are easily fixable. If your institution cannot help you or your graduate, of course I am happy to help. But, please look into the free services first. You have already paid for them.
Trish Thomas founded The Resume Resource to help people develop the tools, strategies and confidence to build satisfying careers. As a Career Coach and Resume Writer, she helps her clients articulate their unique value to stand out from the competition, and guides them through the job search process to make it less overwhelming and more successful. See how she can help you build a more rewarding career. www.the-resume-resource.com