1. Keep working--at something
Even if you’re lucky enough to have a parent who will pay your bills while you wait for the phone to ring with your dream job offer, do something. It can be an unpaid internship or an entrepreneurial venture; either way, it will look better on your résumé than a gap, and you’ll gain valuable experience.
2. Don't hide in graduate school
Applying just because you’re unemployed or don’t know what you want to do with your life is a terrible idea. It’s much better to be unemployed than unemployed with $150,000 in debt and a law degree, particularly if you don’t really want to be a lawyer.
3. Make your cover letter sparkle
Many recruiters only look at cover letters to ensure that a person can put a sentence together. Don’t just rehash your résumé—write a creative cover letter that describes who you are outside the bullet points. The more intricate and eccentric the details, the more it is apt to catch someone’s eye.
4. Network, network, network
Regardless of where you are in your career, this is may be the most important rule. If you are looking for a job, everyone you know should know it. Friends that are in highly-bureaucratic institutions can flag your application or recommend you through their HR department with an added benefit to them if you get hired.
5. Do what you love
In an age of disruptive technologies, no profession guarantees security. So why not at least start out doing what you love? Cornell economics professor Robert H. Frank offers this advice to his M.B.A. students: “The most important thing is to find something you like to do, because only then will you have the passion to get good at something…And then you might have a chance to make a lot of money out of it.’’
6. Go back to college—for employment help
Access to career services isn’t limited to people who are currently enrolled. Use your alma mater’s job boards and contact lists to find postings and meet people who are more likely to hire someone they have something in common with.
7. Use the social network
LinkedIn is a popular job-seeking resource for professionals, but don’t discount Facebook. If one of your friends updates their profile because they’ve left their old job or started with a new company, shoot them a message and ask if they know of any openings.
8. Suit up
Many recent grads forget that you need to look your best for an interview. Everyone should have at least one interview suit that matches. For those looking to pinch pennies, visit vintage clothing stores to find gently-worn clothing that’s still in style.
9. Volunteer
The gap of unemployment in your résumé can be offset by volunteer activities. Be it serving food at a soup kitchen or working on a political campaign, you’ll be doing something you believe in—and improving your résumé.
10. Don’t discount the informational interview
Often jobs aren’t advertised, and are only circulated internally. An informational interview is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door. Go to places you are interested in working and let them know that you are willing, eager, and capable of doing a great job for them. It may pay off.
11. Always follow up
A thank you card is always required. You never know what will happens once you click submit on a jobs site, so be sure to follow up once a certain amount of time elapses. Use your judgment and check in unless you are specifically instructed not to call.
12. Apply early and often, but not everywhere
Sending your résumé out to every job opening is no way to conduct a search. See what industries need your specific skill-set. Also look for companies that reflect your beliefs—you won’t last long at a job that you hate.
13. Use Craigslist
Although it’s developed quite a reputation over the past few years Craigslist is still a great job-searching tool. Just remember that, due to its public nature, Craigslist jobs often garner hundreds of applications.
14. Never stop learning
Try to attend free seminars, book readings and panels related to your area of expertise. Read relevant articles online. Staying on top of your industry will make you more employable—and you may meet a potential employer along the way.
15. Use the military option
Signing up is not just for dropouts and hard-cases. There’s a large market for college-educated soldiers, and getting Uncle Sam to pick up the tab for your training is one way to get ahead without going into debt.
16. Pay your bills
Employers sometimes check credit scores during the job application process. Try to stay on top of your personal credit payments and pay your balance in full every month; if you can’t. at least try to keep cards from being 90 days past due.
17. Get a roommate
Even if you have a job, it doesn’t mean you can splurge on rent. Don’t spend more than a third of your gross income on housing; ideally, keep it to no more than a quarter. A great way to accomplish that is finding a roommate. Says Jon Bittner, 26, cofounder of bill-sharing site Splitwise: “There’s really no good reason why anybody my age should live alone unless they’re completely insufferable.”
18. Don't give up
After being out of work for weeks or months with few job leads, forging ahead can be daunting. Hang in there. Try re-doing your résumé or building a personal website; sometimes, having a physical record of your accomplishments can be helpful.
19. See a professional
Life coaches and career consultants can be pricey, but having someone to keep you motivated and make objective suggestions can be helpful. “Look deep inside your core for what makes you light up, that’s the ultimate happiness and financial success,” says Preston J. Ephraim II, one such coach. “[That’s] where your true job is.”
20. Save for your retirement—at 70-plus
Once you’ve got a job and built an emergency fund, start contributing to a Roth IRA or 401(k)—at least enough to capture any employer match. There are few steps more crucial, as you’re likely to get even less help from Social Security and traditional pensions than your parents. For more, read the full story: "
