What College Grads NEED to Know and Do To Be Smart, Savvy and Employed

By Susan RoAne, The Mingling Maven®

During the break at my recent program for the graduate students at a well-known Ivy League school, I asked second year master candidates where they were from and if they have jobs lined up. One young woman was from Manhattan said she had no prospects. When I asked if she had any contacts through family or friends who could give her an assist, she looked at me as if I were speaking Saturnese. “Shouldn’t I get a job because of my skills, not who I know?” I bit my tongue from doing an ‘I got a bridge I can sell you’ comment.

What I said was, “Of course you have to have the knowledge, training and skills. But if someone you know knows someone who is looking for professional with your degree and experience, why not help them fill that slot?” There are days when my reverse guilt trips strike me as a great way to travel and I know I am channeling my Mother, the queen of such trips.

This very smart young woman made a comment that can best be described as naïve. It would be great if that were true. Then every talented musician would have a seat in the symphony and every talented artist would have exhibits in art galleries and museums. And every substantive author would be on the New York Times Bestseller list. The concept of “putting the word out” seemed off-putting to her. It’s the Mousetrap trap. We may build the best mousetrap (or have the best resume) BUT no one will beat a path to our door UNLESS they know about us. This is why being organized, taking action and letting everyone in our networks know about our interests, plans and job objectives is so valuable. Whether it’s through an online jobs site, a school job board or through an alumni or family connections keeping people apprised so that they think of us when they hear of an opportunity, is smart and savvy.

I am constantly awed at the talent, intelligence and knowledge that many college students possess. I am equally amazed at how naïve many of them are. There are so many pieces of the professional/career/job puzzle that they are missing. Obviously, that’s one of the reasons that I am hired to address the students.

I come to the campus as an educator as well as the best-selling author of books that reflect the critical, yet non-academic skills the students need to get that first job and get on their work/life path. Because of speaking about working rooms, building conversation and relationships as well as that nebulous, but necessary, topic of networking at Yale, Wharton, University of Illinois, Northeastern, San Francisco State University and NYU for the past six years, I have discerned several things college students and graduates must do in addition to the required learning.

Building connections is a cornerstone of both career and business development. We do this through contact time and conversations that we have. Whether we like it or not, we are marketing and selling. Only this product is ourself: our talents, skills, energy, interest and experience.

IF you are an university student ready to graduate and want to work, here are The Seven Savvy Steps you can take to get yourself moving along your path.

1. You must have work and study habits as well as a laser focus--- all of which translate into good job/work habits.
   
2. You must avail yourself of school services: Career Center, Alumni Center, job search workshops. If your university doesn’t offer programs, ask for them.
3. Assess your network and that of your parents, relatives and friends. Use paper and pencil and make this an analog activity. And include a list of whom each of them know.
   Although I am a fan of his, I had no idea Daniel Pink, of Fast Company and the Free Agent Nation is my sister- in law’s cousin until recently. How on earth could this have slipped by me--- a fan of Daniel Pink?
4. The world requires us to be both digital and analog. You must have and use both so that you can communicate via email, text message or via Instant Messages. Do your research online but beef up on the offline opportunities. Know that you better be able to pick up a phone and chat as well as manage the mingling in any room.
5. MANNERS count and there is no way around it. “Please, thank you, I appreciate, It was so nice of you to make that call” are just some of the phrases to adopt. Yes, write that thank you email in a timely way after you are given a lead, an interview or an introduction. Then, sit down with a good pen and nice, classy and classic stationery and pen a note of thanks. NOTHING substitutes for the handwritten note of thanks. Talk about making the RIGHT impression… that’ll do it.
   
6. Ask for Help: from family and friends, alumni, instructors or current practitioners in your chosen field. Invite people to be in your corner when you lay that career cornerstone foundation. When you attend the local chapter of the professional association, ask if there is a mentor program for college students and join it. Most professions have national associations and they have student members. Remember, that people want to help the student.
   
7. Apply for internships and work as smart and hard as you can. Companies tend to hire interns for open positions because they are a known commodity, fit in to the company culture and have a track record.

Don’t waste a minute of your time worrying about the fairness of the ‘who you know’ aspect of life or jobs. Just be sure that you do know people and that they want to know, recommend, hire and mentor you. If you follow the Magnificent Seven you will be savvy, smart and employed.

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©SusanRoAne2006 All rights reserved and cannot be copied, excerpted or utilized in any manner with permission of the author.

Susan RoAne, an in demand keynote speaker, has lectured at NYU, UC Berkeley, UCLA School of Biz and Management, Wharton, University, of Chicago, Yale and University of Illinois. She is the author of The Secrets of Savvy Networking… newly released as a CD by Audio Renaissance as well as the classic, How to Work a Room®.

For more information about Susan RoAne’s results-oriented, high content presentations and coaching visit: email Susan@SusanRoAne.com or call 415 461 3915.