How long does it take a college grad to get a job

Do you know what’s the hardest part of getting a job? Most people wouldn’t say it, but it’s actually the answer: finding a job. It doesn’t matter if your degree is in Computer Science or Sociology, most jobs require certain skills that are not taught at school. Some employers only trust people who have been through the hiring process before and others prefer to keep their resume details confidential until they can see someone in person. Securing a job after leaving university can be incredibly difficult and many graduates don’t succeed on their first attempt. In fact, some may see as many as 200+ resumes before they find that special something; so how long does it take? Explore this article to learn more about what you need to do to find your first post-university job.

Why Is It So Hard To Find A Job After University?

There are a number of reasons why it can take graduates as long as six months or more to find a job after university. Many of these reasons are related to the same issues that plagued the job market during the recession. Issues like a lack of hiring, an increase in the number of job seekers, and an increase in competition for available jobs. Another reason why it can take so long to find a job after university is that many employers are trying to fill an abundance of jobs. With the unemployment rate low and more jobs available than people to fill them, finding a job after university can be extremely challenging. The good news is that the job market is gradually improving and employers are starting to hire more people. So now is a great time to re-evaluate your career goals and consider changing your career path if necessary. Another shift in employer demands has raised some eyebrows with entry-level roles requiring 1-2 years of experience. It’s difficult for us to wrap our heads around this as well, but more and more employers are looking for someone who can bring value to their organization rather than develop entry-level talent. This is why getting ahead of these trends and getting some experience while in school, no matter how small, can make a huge difference when you start applying.

Hiring Process

When an employer wants to hire someone, they typically spend some time talking to candidates to learn more about their skills and personality. This is called the intake process and it’s the first step to a job interview. After completing an intake interview, you may be invited in for a face-to-face (or phone) interview. During an interview, the hiring manager will have a chance to ask you questions about your experience and ask you questions about your answers. If you pass this phase, then you will get an offer letter to sign. This is when the job offer gets official and you can begin your new career. Depending on the company size you can expect the end-to-end process of sending in applications to getting hired to be around 2-3 weeks for a smaller company or startup and 2-3 months for a large corporation or tech company. This is just for one role, so make sure that you’re not banking on that one big tech job to go through because it could set you back a few months. Continue to apply, continue to build skills even while you’re applying, and go deeper into the interview pipeline.

Networking and Conferences

Another way to find a job is by networking with people who are already working in your field. When you attend professional networking events, you can meet people who work in different fields. You can then exchange contact information and see if any of them knows of any open positions. From there, you can approach those people and see if they can help you find a job. Many universities also host professional networking events where you can connect with alumni and employers. These events may be sponsored by your university’s career center, but they are usually open to the public. Networking is a great way to make connections, but it’s also a great way to find work. Simply wander around and talk to everyone in the networking event. You never know who you might meet.

If you’ve already graduated from college consider finding some Alumni events to attend, or begin building your network on LinkedIn with classmates to build a network that could connect you with employers or submit a referral on your behalf.

Proactive Job Search Strategies

There are many ways to find a job, but you have to start looking early. Unfortunately, many people wait until they’re in a bind before they even consider looking for work. But with bad credit, unemployment, and a lower salary, it’s likely you will be in this situation at some point. So why wait? Begin your job search as soon as you leave university is the worst senario, begin 6-9 months prior to graduation. Most employers will be happy to get you started part-time before then or have you come in full-time once you graduate. Getting a job isn’t easy, so you want to be prepared for when you need one. You don’t have to wait for the perfect job to come along. You can find a job by applying for as many jobs as you can in a short period of time.