Culpwrit

One of this blog’s early contributors, Caitlin Tridle, offers good counsel in an interesting exchange on CBCampus.com about how to land that first job.  Caitlin is now a key member of the PR team at Kaplan Higher Education.  CBCampus, a niche offering of CareerBuilder, is focused on internships and first jobs for college graduates.

Caitlin’s excellent advice:  “When I was job hunting, the economy was not in a recession like it is today, but it still required a lot of effort, diligence and research for me to find a job. 

I spent many hours a day on the computer researching companies and applying for jobs.  I also scheduled informational interviews and had my resume looked over by previous employers, family members, alumni, etc.  I attended three job fairs, two of which were designed for a major I wasn’t graduating in. 

My advice for job hunters is to not be disillusioned and to have a positive attitude.  If you tell yourself that you can’t get a job because of the economy, then your confidence will suffer and you’ve given yourself an excuse to not try as hard as you might otherwise. 

I advise job hunters to not focus in on one specific job or career path.  Be creative and see what other fields or jobs your skills, education and previous work experience apply to. 

At Kaplan Higher Education we have a director development program, which is a rotational leadership training program that prepares MBA graduates for a career in higher education.  Since the economic downturn, we’ve seen an increased number of applicants who have a background in finance and banking. 

Also, do your research.  Not every company is experiencing a downtown.  Some industries, like higher education, are countercyclical.  Other industries, like health care, continue to project an employment growth.  So instead of being disillusioned, job hunters should do their research and think outside the box.”