Career Advice for College Graduates

Nothing beats the feeling of putting in your time and studying your tail off and becoming a college graduate; that is until you realize that you now have to find a career. The good news is you have a degree and are already off to a great start in the wonderful world of work. The bad news is you are ‘wet behind the ears,’ have no experience, and are about to embark on a job hunting expedition in one of the toughest job markets in the history of the country.

While having you degree is certainly nice just remember, it does not guarantee you a job. Here are some friendly suggestions for you when you are seeking your new career path:

• Aim High but Appropriately: Don’t try to become the president of the company right out of the box. You have to realize that you may have to start as entry level. Even though you have a degree you will still need to work your way up to some extent. Once you get your foot in the door of the company you are interested in then you can use your skills and ability to quickly climb the corporate ladder if that is your desire. But nothing in life comes easy; you have to be willing to work for it.

• Create Experience: If you are trying to get into an industry that requires ‘experience’ how are you supposed to get that experience without obtaining the job? Get creative here and think outside the box. You can volunteer within the industry and this can give you some much needed experience for your resume. Another way to learn but also earn is to try to find an internship in your chosen profession. While these ways will not make you rich, they will give you the experience you need to get a better position down the road.

• Don’t Get Frustrated: Again this is one of the toughest job markets to date. If you find that you are not being considered for the jobs you want, don’t get discouraged and give up. Keep at it. Tenacity is the name of the game, especially in a weaker job market.

• Be Open Minded: While a college degree certainly looks great on your resume you should always be open to the idea of furthering your education. This can be in the way of job specific schooling or training or even in a couple of online college classes that will help you in your chosen career industry. One thing you can never have too much of when it comes to work is knowledge.

• Find your Passion: If you find yourself on a career path that is not to your liking then you may need to consider a change. Even if you think you may want to go one way, once you are there you may want to go another. There is nothing wrong with this and being happy at what you do for a living goes a long way in being happy in life.

While it may have seemed like an eternity to get to where you are now, your life has just begun. Enjoy the fact that you have accomplished your goal of obtaining a college degree, but do not revel too long. You have many other accomplishments to look forward to in your life and your chosen career path so get out there and go get them.

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Resume Service Ratings

If you’re thinking of using a resume service, you may feel a little uneasy about it. You send off a big chunk of money and are nervous about what you’ll get in return. If you feel your resume is in good condition, your fear is for a couple hundred dollars you get a “your resume looks great – not much we can do to improve upon it”. But, based off customer reviews of resume writing services, you may be surprised with the result.

Customers are overwhelmingly satisfied with their experiences with resume services. If you read testimonials on the website of the company, it’s not surprising to find glowing reviews. But, there are objective websites out there that compare resume services and allow customers to leave independent feedback.

If you are considering using a resume service, I highly recommend taking advantage of independent review sites. You can find them easily by googling “resume service ratings” or “resume service reviews”. There are a handful of sites that provide user feedback for you to review.

These review sites are also a valuable tool because they have already done the research to find companies offering quality resume services. This can be a real time saver for you – visit a few sites and you’ll have direct links to the top resume services. Additional information may also be presented such as costs, turn around time, and specialties, if any.

Whichever service you choose, be sure to find out if they employ certified professional resume writers (CPRW). Most review sites only list companies that use CPRWs. To be a certified professional resume writer, individuals must pass an exam to demonstrate their expertise in resume writing, proofreading, career trends, and employment issues. Certifications are issued by Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches. You can visit their website to find certified resume writers as well.

There are a few other ways to do some research on a company as well. Try googling the company name to see what comes up. Occasionally, you can find a blog describing a person’s experience with that particular company. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau. Some companies are accredited or members of the BBB. Businesses that apply to the BBB commit to abide by a set of ethical standards and have undergone a detailed review process. Even if a company is not registered with the BBB, customers may still file complaints. It’s always a good idea to do a quick check to make sure the company you’ve selected hasn’t received numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau.

Spending a little time researching a resume writing service can help put your mind at ease and result in a high quality new resume for yourself. Most people forget to leave positive reviews of companies – we tend only to want to express our opinion when we are upset. If you are satisfied with the product you received leave a review so that future customers will feel more confident in their search for a resume service.