There’s no denying that the job market for New Grads is still tough. But there a few signs of improvement. CareerBuilder’s Annual Job Forecast reports that 21 percent of companies hiring New Grads will hire more than a year ago. And 16 percent plan to offer higher starting salaries. Nevertheless, there’s a long way to go as the number of firms planning to hire recent college graduates is basically unchanged at 44%, down from a high of 79% in 2007. Companies planning to hire list the following activities as pertinent experience to include on resumes:
- Internships - 62 percent
- Part-time jobs in another area or field - 50 percent
- Volunteer work - 40 percent
- Class work - 31 percent
- Involvement in school organizations - 23 percent
- Managing activities for sororities and fraternities – 21 percent
- Sports activities - 13 percent
This list of activities is encouraging. There are techniques to make these most effective on your resume as well as in a cover letter. Be certain to learn how to include as many of these activities as possible. They are the evidence that you can get a job done. In addition, you want to be prepared to discuss them in detail during job interviews. Figure out strategies to describe them so they resemble tasks in a job. Employers are looking to see that you undertake challenges and meet them effectively.
If you need an experienced resume writer and career coach to help you advance to the next level, I can help you craft a game plan and a resume to get you to your goal.