Companies are expected to hire about 10 percent more graduates from the class of 2012 than they did last year. But with an unemployment rate above eight percent you still have to make a good impression. We have more on how college grads could be shooting themselves in the foot, long before they can get it in the door.
Inappropriate dress, being late, and not doing your homework… according to a study of HR managers these are the three most damaging mistakes made by young job-seeking interviewees.
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Another job-hunting mistake is relying too much on job boards. Fewer than five percent of jobs are obtained from job boards, while 80 percent are landed through networking. Another flub is being too humble! Tailor each resume so it clearly articulates why you're the best option!
Finally, remember the three Bs: beer, bikinis, and bongs! Remove all unprofessional pictures from social media sites. Fifty six percent of HR professionals use the sites to source potential candidates. Digital dirt like online posts or tweets can hurt your image.
According to CareerBliss, the top cities for job seeking grads are St. Louis, Salt Lake City, and right here in Jacksonville, Florida. Among the top fields for growth are health care, engineering, and computer science.
(Sources: The National Association of Colleges and Employers, The Center for Professional Excellence at York College of Pennsylvania, Pace University's Lubin School of Business, Career Center at Hamilton College, CareerBliss, www.bizjournals.com)