THE RULES OF ATTRACTION FOR YOUNG GRADUATES

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  » November 2008

RULES OF ATTRACTION FOR YOUNG GRADUATES
By Reema Mitra

So you graduated in May. Congratulations, you are now part of the upper echelons of society - you are a degree toting, unrighteously confident, super complacent member of academia. Still, right about now you're probably jobless and in debt. I know when I heard my name and walked down the stairs with full regalia (including my honors cords) at my college graduation ceremony, two thoughts kept racing through my head: a) Who wouldn't want to employ me? and b) Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip.

Weeks went by - the last wave of May was also the last time I remember feeling at ease. My transition home soon turned into a rough one as June then July set in with no sign of resume recognition. Not even a phone interview. I started panicking and my uber confidence began to falter. I had a million internships under my belt and nothing to show for it.

At last, late in July I heard back from a company that I interviewed with five times. My confidence shot up again so fast and at that point, I had signed the deal in my own mind. I fantasized about getting an offer for $50k as I mouthed, "Sorry, not without a cash bonus." Back in reality, the call went something like this:

HR: "Congratulations! We would like to offer you the position."
Me: "That's awesome, what can I expect as far as--"
HR: "30k plus full health benefits. You will also get 4 vacation days and..."

I had lost her at "3." How can I accept 30k when I wanted 50k? Is it even possible to live on that? Oh my friend, it is. But you'll wind up hating every second. The lesson I learned here was this: No matter how much work experience I thought I had, the only job I landed was one that I felt to be "below" me. And it was dumb of me to take it for the sake of taking it. I became tired and restless fast - questioning whether a whole $11.04/hr after taxes was worth commuting for 4 hours a day. I spent the last half of my summer wishing I had held out for something better. In this crazy economy, people kept telling me I was lucky to have found something at all.

With that being said, and as the first of my group to get hired, I lent my friends my thoughts so they wouldn't end up doing something they didn't enjoy. I call these my "Rules of Attraction" - attraction to your potential job that is. After all, landing an awesome job is kind of like finding a mate: You've got to look hard because all the good ones are usually taken.

Here's some advice to those of you who are considering taking a job you don't feel completely attracted to:

RULES OF ATTRACTION

•   Think about what you want to do - what you really want to do. Is this job interesting? How will it build your resume? Is there room for growth? What are former employees saying about the company? Do you see yourself at this company five years down the line? If not, you've held off this long, so you might as well take the rest of the year to research companies. Even shadow someone you know, or continue your search for something more appealing. •   Network. Network. Network. I can't stress this enough. These days, you must create an extensive network. Use your parents to your advantage - talk to their friends. More likely than not, your parents' social networks are a great foundation for "hooking you up." Or at least pointing you in the right direction. Your school's alumni foundation can also be a great resource for you as well as just asking around. You'll be surprised at how many people will pass along your name if they know you're looking. You'll be more surprised to see what kind of strings can be pulled if you meet the right person. •   Once you land an interview, don't assume the job is yours - you still have to work for it. This is the thrill of the chase when you are in a courtship with a potential employer. Make sure you press your suit the night before. Get a manicure or a quick blowout. As superficial as it may seem, people make up their minds about you in the first 60 seconds of meeting you - so make those seconds count. Follow up with note cards (emails are standard, sp make yourself exceptional). This is an especially awesome time to refer back to a point you forgot to make during your interview. Don't forget, they have to be attracted back. •   Though your interview is important, remember YOU are interviewing THEM. If someone strikes you as odd, your interviewer spends more time talking about his/her personal life than inquiring about your professional one, the job description is not what you are looking for, or you are uncomfortable with - don't take it! In my experience, my gut feeling has always been right. You'll never know what the job is really like until you start working, but there are signs of a bad one. Be alert and ask lots of questions like, "What can I expect day-to-day?" "How do you maintain a work-life balance?" "What do you expect of me from this position?" "What can I look forward to learning in this role?" If you don't ask, they won't tell. •   Unless it's your goal, don't take a job just because you're broke and need something to do. The experience you get from your job should translate into a career. If you are career-minded, you will hate working in an environment that doesn't foster you as an employee. Full-time careers are not like internships; you can't quit whenever you want. Be assured that you have a direction in the company before accepting an offer because let's face it: once you start working full-time, it won't be over until retirement. •   When people can't find work, or better yet - don't want to work - they often turn to grad school, and sometimes end up regretting it. Grad school is not a Plan B for finding a job. However, grad school is a great option for people who know what they love and want to pursue it further. For instance, maybe you majored in English, but you might be interested in Advertising. Consider getting your Master's in Communication or Journalism. Two words of wisdom, though: School is expensive (as you go into repayment on your loans this December) so make sure you have your bases covered. Secondly, don't get a Master's if you're avoiding working full-time. No one will care about your degree if you aren't passionate about what you do - a slacker with an M.A. is still full of B.S.

Jobs will come and go. Even in this economy, new jobs are being created. If you really can't find something you love or something that doesn't align with your values, volunteer at a worthwhile organization - or better yet - start your own. Even an unpaid internship that gives you good experience partnered with a paying part-time job can be a recipe for success. As long as you can speak to it, long periods of unemployment won't be scrutinized too harshly for a recent grad.

At the end of the day, you have to be happy. Your pay check and job function has to give you satisfaction. Be confident, but not overly so. Be smart and don't get discouraged. You will spend over 25% of your week at your job with your co-workers. After a while, your cubicle neighbors will become your "cube family," so why not make sure that they're more Brady and less Baldwin?

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Comments

[ankur]

Ain't it the truth, sistah. Loved the MA line, as I'm filling myself with BS as we speak.

[caroline]

i had to read this article out loud to my mother so she'd understand my experience..thanks for sharing, passing this along to friends:)

[caroline]

i had to read this article out loud to my mother so she'd understand my experience..thanks for sharing, passing this along to friends:)

[mega]

this is useful advice!

[Puja]

Or join a branch of the military and love it and never have to worry about a job. Granted it has to fit you but so few desi women consider it and I wouldn't give up a minute of it. Then again I got posted in Hawaii.

[Sheena]

awesome article.