Job advice for young adults: Congratulations on finishing college; now buck up and work hard
09/08/2019 / By Melissa Smith
You just finished college, now what? Most recent graduates are now on their job-hunting journey. However, many of these young people don’t understand that joining the professional world takes time and hard work. A U.S. military veteran gives some job advice that every young person needs – but does not want to hear. He wrote a letter to millennials after reading a Facebook post from his much younger friend who was throwing a rant about a job search.
U.S. military veteran Matthew Wadler says that age does and does not matter. A person gains more knowledge and wisdom with age. At a certain point, you must have the knowledge of the capabilities of the assets under your supervision, and the wisdom to know how to use them to their maximum capabilities. (Related: What a 95-Year-Old Yoga Teacher Can Teach Us About Success.)
Having a diverse job background can also be considered a disadvantage. This hints at your job history being sporadic. A hiring manager would then expect you to not stay around for long. This may hinder you into getting a position that will pay any serious money. The hiring manager would also think that the knowledge and wisdom you’ve gained are as minimal as the time you spent in any job. Lastly, it also shows that there is a lack of follow-through on your part.
Companies want to know that the person they are spending money on will stay with them for a long time. Hiring someone who switches jobs every few months (or even years) may be a liability.
As Wadler puts it, “you are not owed a job.” A company would most likely not hire someone without experience if a more experienced applicant is available. Moreover, the income exists to get a person for the job, not the other way around. If a company cannot find someone willing to take that job at that pay, only then would they increase it.
You should also avoid complaining about not getting a job or even bash potential or former employers online. Doing so would only harm you in the long run. Many employers browse through the social media feeds of potential employees before they even consider hiring.
“A business lives and dies by the pull of its branding, and every employee adds to brand loyalty or disloyalty,” says Wadler.
It does not matter if you are right or wrong; no company would consider hiring you if they see you trashing previous employers or jobs. Nonetheless, you may occasionally see people do these things and still land a job. These are the people who have already established themselves in their respective fields. The more specialized people are, the more they will have this attitude. However, you must understand that they get away with it because of their worth to the company.
The employee and employer most have a symbiotic relationship, especially when both sides understand the full moral and ethical responsibilities inherent within their roles. Overall, you need to put in the hard work to get there. Nothing comes easy.
More tips for recent graduates hoping to land a job
Here are several tips for recent graduates who want to get on the right track for job hunting:
- Only apply for positions that you have a chance to land.
- Do your research on your target companies.
- Network in person.
- Practice your pitch.
- Act professional. Dress properly, make eye contact, give firm handshakes, and be prepared to give your pitch.
Read more articles on having the right attitude and mindset for achieving your goals at Mind.news.
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Tagged Under: attitude, college graduates, companies, culture, earnings, employee, employment, hard work, how to, job, job advice, job culture, job hunting, job search, jobs, millennials, mind, mindset, work, work ethic, young adults, young professionals
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