NEWS - Education & Colleges

SBJ Special Report

May 17 - College is done, but is anyone hiring? The answer is, despite the slow recovery from recession, yes, but experts on finding that first job says you have to know where to look and what mistakes to avoid.

"There are signs that there will be a slight uptick this year in hiring new college graduates, but the market will remain fiercely competitive," says Stephen Miles, a top CEO coach and Vice Chairman of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles. Miles and Nathan Bennett, a professor of management at Georgia Tech, are authors of the book "Your Career Game."

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that employers are planning to hire 5.3% more graduates this year than they did from the class of 2008-09.

Miles and Bennett says there are five common mistakes college graduates should avoid while looking for a job:

1. Don't sabotage your personal "brand" - "I call this generation 'looking for your 15 minutes' - everyone thinks he or she is going to be a star," says Mr. Miles. "But managing your personal brand is about building a strong foundation for your career beyond a 15-minute time frame, both online and off. Recruiters today begin our research on candidates by doing extensive web searches on people - including all of the social media hot spots. A misstep online, whether it's a compromising photo or an immature status update, can be a career-limiting move for a candidate - before they've even stepped onto the game board."

2. Don't be afraid to jump on an "out of the box" opportunity - "Everyone understands how difficult the job market is for the class of 2010," says Dr. Bennett. "No one will question an 'out of the box' career move, such as teaching or working for a nonprofit; the economy actually provides great cover for you to do something you want to do. But remember that an unusual move will become part of your story that needsto compel future employers to want you on their team. You need to be able to tell a great story about how this experience was an investment you made in yourself. As a result, you've become a better buy for your next employer. To the extent you can do that, you will see this first move pay an ROI across your entire career."

3. Don't be afraid to take the job "no one else wants" - "People constantly misunderstand the risk/reward ratio in opportunities like this," says Dr. Bennett. "This might mean working at an 'off-label' company, or in a less attractive place to live, or at a company known for destroying people's spirit - but still teaching a lot about an industry. Or there may be an opening at a company that is struggling or broken in some way. This can be an opportunity to find something and fix it, and your reputation will be enhanced."

4. Don't miscalculate the trade off between breadth and depth - Some employers will provide you an opportunity to develop deep skills in an area, while others will allow you to experience rotation programs that expose you to many aspects of the business. Each has its advantages and disadvantages as "first stops" in a career. As Mr. Miles says, "Excellence does not come from doing many things at once. In fact, you typically get below-average outcomes when you try to master too many skills." On the other hand, Dr. Bennett adds, "When you leave school still unsure about where you can best make a positive impact on a company, the opportunity to learn on the company's dime makes sense."

5. Don't be blinded by a paycheck - "You may have to sacrifice some on compensation for opportunities to make a real investment in your skills and experience," Dr. Bennett advises. "The best jobs are where you can learn the most and make the quickest impact. The sooner you can demonstrate your ability to make a difference, the sooner you will make yourself a tougher competitor for the next job."

Dr. Bennett says many new grads this spring will be forced to take jobs they believe are beneath them' based on their own long-standing expectations of where they'd be after leaving a good school. "But we think it is critical not to despair. Your first job out of school is just one move in a very long career game. This first job will be prominent on your resume for some time - and you should consider what it will communicate to the next few employers down the line. But the key is in understanding how each opportunity you have will improve the quality of the story you tell about yourself as an employee and as an important contributor of skills and experience."

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