Recent College Grads: LinkedIn’s New Report Is Just for You
Say hello to the 2021 Grad’s Guide to Getting Hired
Graduating college is a bit like running a marathon.
The task is grueling. Your mind and body are pushed to breaking. And at some point in the journey, almost all of us feel like giving up. Throwing in the towel. We may even question the reason for undertaking such a complex task.
Why? Why did I do this?
So by the time a college student reaches the point of graduation, much like a marathoner, there is reason to celebrate. You accomplished something huge. And you did so using your skills, your resources, and your determination.
You crossed the finish line. And even though others did too, the achievement is something to feel proud of. Something to hang your (graduation) hat on. You gather around with friends and family to celebrate.
Unfortunately, that’s where the marathon analogy breaks down.
With a marathon, once you’ve crossed the finish line, you get to rest. You can grab a Gatorade and a banana and take the rest of the day off. You’ve done the hard work and now it’s over.
But when it comes to college grads, for many the hard work is just beginning. Unless you were fortunate enough to wrap up an offer early, you now face the daunting task of putting your new degree to work for you.
You now have to go get a job.
Lucky for you, there are resources that can help. And this week LinkedIn put out a good one. Their annual Grad’s Guide to Getting Hired is chock-full of helpful data and insights that recent grads can use to level up their job search.
So today, let’s take a look at 3 key takeaways from the LinkedIn guide. And let’s talk about how you can put them to good use.
1. The market has rebounded.
Two recessions in a little more than a decade.
That’s what young people in the United States have faced when coming out of college. For those unfortunate enough to graduate during a recession, the odds of landing a good job (or any job) narrow significantly.
Recession hits.
Companies tighten up their budgets.
There’s less opportunity.
Millennials who came out of college or graduate school during the 2008 recession know this first hand. For some, it took years to get into the career field they wanted or settle into a role. Others are still reeling from the effect.
Either way, a recession is nobody’s idea of a good time.
And yet, with the COVID-19 pandemic hitting in the lead-up to summer 2020, the graduating class of that year had an uphill battle to climb. Hiring rates dropped significantly in the months of June and July, just as new graduates were out pounding the pavement.
Fortunately, as you can see, the economy was able to recover quickly. By the end of 2020, hiring rates for recent college graduates were nearly back to the levels they had been pre-pandemic.
For those graduating in May 2021, it appears the worst is now behind us. The United States is still going through a transition period, and the numbers in certain industries such as leisure and hospitality have been slower to recover.
But the overall figures suggest graduates today are much better off than those who graduated a year ago. And recent survey data of employers indicate the hiring trends are likely to continue.
So good new recent graduates! The market is improving and so are your opportunities. Which leads us to . . .
2. Tech and Healthcare have a lot of openings.
Some students are blessed with a clear picture of what they want to do post-graduation. But for others, it may make sense to pursue areas of opportunity in the market.
Gorick Ng — a career adviser at Harvard College and author of The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right — suggests students seek out areas of opportunity if they want to grow their careers quickly.
Here’s what he says in the LinkedIn report:
You want to find yourself in a company that’s growing like crazy and therefore hiring like crazy, and you can say the same thing about companies, industries and cities.
With that in mind, it can be helpful to see where the growth is. And LinkedIn’s shared some data that can point you in the right direction. Take this graphic, for example, which lists the industries with the most entry-level openings.
As you can see, there are a lot of opportunities in key industries. Healthcare and Technology are two perfect examples of industries that have been growing for years and are primed to continue. So it may be worth considering them as part of your job search.
In Healthcare, there is increasing demand for generalists (such as nurses) and specialists (such as speech language pathologists), leaving plenty of room to select your path. And in Technology, engineering and developer roles are available, as well as project manager openings.
All that to say, if you want to increase your likelihood of landing a job, look at industries like Healthcare and Technology. They’re booming. They have openings. And they want talent like you.
Lastly, let’s take a look at the specific skills employers are looking for . . .
3. These key skills are in demand.
While some jobs may require specialized skills — software engineering, for example typically requires an understanding of coding — many other jobs are more general in their skillset requirements.
This means employers are looking for practical skills that can cut across roles and industries. Skills that are helpful in a wide array of scenarios.
Here are the ones LinkedIn chose to highlight:
As you can see, analytical skills, project management, and time management are critical to many roles. In my experience, there are dozens of jobs that benefit from strong skillsets in these areas.
Let’s consider an entry-level analyst role. If you were pursuing a job like this, you would need to demonstrate a few skills to the company.
- That you have the ability to analyze data and come to actionable conclusions.
- That you have the ability to manage multiple projects, ensure deliverables are fully thought out and detailed.
- That you have the ability to manage your time effectively, handing over work when it is due (or even before).
A little tip for building skills
Some of you may be thinking, great but I don’t have these skillsets yet. What do I do if I can’t get a job and don’t already have the skillsets?
While this may not be an ideal situation, there are some actions you can take as you continue your job search. One of the simplest ones is to volunteer.
Finding a local non-profit that needs help is a great way to develop your skillsets. Many times, you’ll be able to take on work that involves some kind of project management, customer service, or time management element.
Consider the work done at a local food bank.
- If you are there helping the staff, you might ask if you can organize the food and coordinate putting it out (project work).
- You might take a role working directly with people who are coming in to help them find what they need (customer service).
- And all the while, you’ll have to juggle multiple demands on your time to make sure everything runs smoothly (time management).
As an added bonus, many companies encourage their employees to volunteer locally. So you may find organic opportunities to meet professionals at local businesses you’re interested in. Strike up a conversation and see where that leads. You may be surprised to find yourself with a referral to a job opening.
Conclusion
You’ve finished your marathon, and now it’s time to take the next step. It’s time to land a job that’s going to propel your career forward. And that means thinking strategically about your job search.
Lean into resources like LinkedIn’s Grad’s Guide to Getting Hired. This advice and data could be exactly what you need to get your foot in the door and start building your brand.
Remember:
- The job market’s better than you think. Companies are hiring.
- Take a look at industries that are growing, like Healthcare and Tech.
- Leverage your skills. And if you need to improve them, try volunteering.
Congratulations to all the recent grads out there!
And good luck with your search.
We’re rooting for you.
How’s your job search going? Drop a note in the comments below. And join the Young Corporate Medium page or Facebook group where we’re talking about career success, trending business news, and more.
