Five Steps To Consider When Transitioning from Recent College Grad to Employee
Congratulations! You are going to graduate from your degree program soon and it’s time to celebrate. With this important milestone, there are likely some significant and exciting transitions on the horizon. Whether you are beginning a job search, changing your career, or advancing to new heights, you’re about to embark on a journey that will present dynamic opportunities, but also new experiences that may not be entirely familiar.
To ease any growing pains, lean on these tips and recommendations in order to successfully move forward with your goals as a brand new college graduate!
1. Build a Smart, Strategic Job Search Routine
You have spent the last several years planning and preparing for your college graduation. Now is the time to make your job search a priority. Establish a routine that allocates specific time to your job search.
If you’re not currently employed, be sure to get your day started as if you have a job already: get ready for day, dress in business-casual clothes, and arrive at your desk at a predetermined time - even if your “desk” is a laptop on your kitchen table! For those who are currently employed, schedule your job search activities as if you would for a dentist appointment or workout at the gym. Ensure that you devote enough time in your schedule to make your job search successful.
If you need help developing a job search strategy, UNH's Career and Professional Success services offer job search strategy appointments where you can work with a career advisor to find positions that meet your goals.
Job Hunt Tools to Help You Get Started
If you’re not sure where to start with your job hunt, we recommend taking a smart, strategic approach, instead of trying to apply to 50+ jobs each day. Here's a few tips to help you get started:
- Use job boards that go beyond the basics, such as:
- Handshake – tailored to college students and recent grads.
- LinkedIn Jobs – allows easy networking and application.
- WayUp – built for early-career professionals.
- BuiltIn – great for jobs in tech and startups.
- Set alerts for job titles you're interested in to avoid missing opportunities.
- Track your applications using a spreadsheet or app like Huntr or Teal.
Once you find a few positions you're interested in, review the requirements carefully and try to pinpoint levels of experience, necessary certifications, and any pertinent technology or software skills. Work to find trends: are there skills, tasks, and duties that frequently appear in these posts? Make a list of common requirements and use it as a guide when you update your resume.
2. Optimize Your Resume for the Digital Era
Create a master resume that spotlights your interpersonal skills and learned skills, as well as any past work experience related to your field of study. If you need assistance writing your resume, take advantage of the resources offered by your college. The majority of colleges and universities offer career development services to both students and alumni. When you schedule a career advising appointment, a career advisor can help you create your master resume and offer tips to find job opportunities in your area.
Tailoring Your Resume
Be aware that in today’s job market, most online job boards use software to filter through the hundreds of resumes submitted. It searches for specific keywords and if you haven’t included those keywords, your resume will not be considered. In order to play the job search game, you want to be sure employers are viewing your resume. Only about 10% of resumes submitted to job applications actually prompt an interview. Therefore, it is in your best interest to customize each resume to specific job applications - try echoing at least a few key phrases that are used in the job posting.
Quick Resume Tips
Make sure to begin each work experience bullet point with an action verb. The Career and Professional Success center offers resume templates and a list of verb suggestions.
Include quantitative data in your work experience bullet point descriptions as it further emphasizes your skills.
Make sure the most important features of your resume such as education and related experiences are at the top.
Once you complete your master resume, put it to the test! There are a range of resume scanning tools (such as Resume Worded’s Targeted Resume, SkillSyncer, Jobscan) that will help you determine if you have included the proper keywords in your chosen career. Be prepared for success and improve your technology skills.
3. Develop and Showcase Digital Skills
Most employers are searching for candidates who are proficient with Microsoft Office and are experienced with specific software programs. Technology changes daily so in order to compete in today’s job market, keep your skills up-to-date and be willing to learn new programs to suit an employer’s needs. Whether you’re going into business, education, healthcare, or another field, you'll likely be expected to know how to use:
- Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Slack
- Project management platforms like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com
- Industry-specific platforms, such as:
- Salesforce for customer relationship management
- Canva or Adobe Creative Suite for marketing and communications
- Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 for productivity
Check out LinkedIn Learning to find out which specific software programs are required for the specific job you desire. Learn what is necessary and brush up those skills prior to applying for a position.
Explore User Groups
You may also want to explore user groups to connect with like-minded individuals who are interested in mastering the same technology as you. Here are several popular technology platforms that have vibrant user group communities:
- Salesforce
Cloud-based customer relationship Management (CRM) software - Adobe
Multimedia and creativity software products - WordPress
Free, open-source content management system (CMS) for building and maintaining websites - Drupal
Free, open-source content management system (CMS) for building and maintaining websites
These groups have a reputation for being highly supportive. You’ll not only get an insider’s perspective from other users learning and using the same software, but it also serves as a natural and fulfilling way to build your professional network.
4. Expand and Nurture Your Network
It’s true - who you know can open doors, especially in today’s competitive job market. But networking doesn’t have to feel transactional or awkward. It’s simply about making authentic connections and learning from others.
Networking can take many forms. You can network in person at social gatherings and business events. For those new to networking, start with your local Chamber of Commerce or local Young Professionals Organization. They’ll have a calendar of opportunities for you to select. For more targeted opportunities, consider joining a professional association and network with people in your specific career field. In HR, for example, joining a professional organization like SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, is essential.
Quick Tips for Growing Your Network
- Reach out to faculty, classmates, and alumni from your college - many are happy to chat.
- Requesting informational interviews with people who are in roles or industries you're curious about.
- Try professional organizations - start with your local Chamber of Commerce or local Young Professionals Organization. They’ll have a calendar of opportunities for you to select. For more targeted opportunities, consider joining professional associations to network with people in your specific career field - many have free or low-cost memberships for recent grads.
- Participating in online communities via LinkedIn Groups, Slack channels, and even Discord servers in your field.
Networking can present opportunities that you may not have previously considered. Be open to new directions, network with confidence, and don’t be afraid to consider all options. Keep in mind: You don’t need a huge network. You need an active one. Make time to check in, follow up, and give as much as you get.
5. Stay Open to Unconventional Paths
Nontraditional Work Experiences, Advanced Degrees, and Changing Industries
If you are concerned that you may not be able to find your dream job immediately, or if you haven’t decided on a career direction, consider a nontraditional pathway, such as an internship, volunteer role, or AmeriCorps service.
While many think that internships are exclusively for students, that’s not always the case. If an internship provides you with the experience you need to move toward your career goals, it’s a viable and worthwhile way to get your foot in the door.
Volunteer positions and AmeriCorps service offer on-the-job training and experience which will help you decide your career path. Internships and work-study programs offer more than just work experience. Some are paid and some offer college credit.
Additional Education and Training
For some recent grads, additional education and training is a natural next step. Fields like public service, human services, IT, and Marketing may require certifications for more lucrative, upper-level positions. Not only does certification help give your candidacy a boost, it also helps you specialize or deepen your industry knowledge. You may want to pursue a graduate credential, such as a master’s degree or graduate certificate. When choosing a graduate program, you’ll face dozens of decision points that will guide you toward the right college. You’ll want to consider testing requirements like GRE and GMAT, affordability, online master’s degree course options, completion time, and more. If you need to take out student loans to finance your master’s degree, borrow smart and only take out what you need.
Widen Your Scope and Explore All Your Options
If your job search isn’t yielding results, widen your scope. For example, a degree in business and career experience in retail doesn’t mean you need to stick with retail forever and work your way up to management positions. If you're in this position, informational interviews and job shadows can help get more insight into specific positions or learn in-depth information about the field. Plus, these forms of casual and informational networking can often lead to excellent industry connections and possibly even a future job offer.
Other industries offer exciting positions that will value your background. Career advising is an excellent way to consider these options and think differently about how you can further develop your career. Remember: learning doesn’t end when you get your diploma!