Surviving – and Overcoming – Postgraduate Unemployment

Loren Dean

I’ve come to realize that every freshly graduated 20-something most likely assumes that upon post-graduation vacation (or in my case, relocation), they will return home to an inbox flooded with job offers. If they’re like me, they may find themselves thinking along the same lines that I did. I was very involved in college,  maintained my grades while keeping a job, volunteered on various committees and held two internships before I graduated, so what could go wrong?   

Well, after the first two months of postgraduate life, I realized that there was plenty that could go wrong. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I had gone to college and earned a degree in hopes of landing a fantastic job (because that’s what was supposed to happen, right?), and it just wasn’t happening. Sound familiar? Well, take courage, because here I am writing this post to you from my desk at Obsidian Public Relations, letting you in on some steps I took to get me through the discouraging time of postgraduate unemployment.

1. Stay positive. Nobody likes a “negative Nancy,” and believe me, it’s much easier to fill out that 15-page job application with an optimistic attitude. Plus, it’s easy for this process to become disappointing, and discouragement often leads to stagnation. This is not the time to not do anything because you’re too down to do it. Keep pushing through!
2. Re-do your resume. One of the best things I did was to get several professionals to consult me on my resume. I had things listed that didn’t matter and had neglected to highlight things that did. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Put your networking skills to use, and ask people that know what they’re doing to assist you.
3. Don’t limit your job search. If you’re like me, you can’t afford to -- literally. I’m sure you decided before you graduated what type of job you wanted to have and the handful of places you’d be “willing” to work, but now’s the time to realize that’s entirely unreasonable. It’s logical that you would find more opportunities by broadening your search, so just do it. You might surprise yourself and really enjoy working at a place that was on your “no” list. 
4. Don’t search alone. I told anyone and everyone that I was looking for a job and that I was interested in anything they could find. I had family and friends emailing, texting and calling me every time they saw a listing that was remotely related to the communication field. As soon as I thought I had every job search website’s listings memorized, someone would tell me about something I hadn’t seen. In fact, that’s how I found the listing for Obsidian, and look where I am now!
5. You’ve got time, so use it. During this time I painted, volunteered for random jobs, worked retail and rode my bike with my fiancé every chance I got to break from all of the time at home. Although you may feel uncomfortable with the amount of free time you have on your hands, instead, take advantage of it. Remember to continue to read and write and use those basic skills you’ll need to have when you do land your first job. Don’t be afraid to wait tables or sell candles and wrapping paper. It’ll teach you patience and help push you in your job search even further. 

Coming Together – The Benefit and Importance of Professional Organizations

Kelli Eason

I graduated college in May of 2009. I worried, of course, about finding a job in the recession. I thought I had a pretty good shot at getting hired from a previous internship, but by the time I graduated and the market had sufficiently tanked, most of my previous supervisors were in no place to hire new communications staff. That’s where the Public Relations Society of America came in.

In college, I joined the Public Relations Student Society of America, which led to my involvement in its parent organization, PRSA. In the past five years, I have served in seven leadership positions, traveled to four national events, made too many close friends to count and, last but not least, been hired for two internships and two full-time jobs as a result of my involvement.

How did PRSA come to support my job hunt in the worst part of a recession? That’s easy – it’s all about who you know. In one of my last projects at LSU, I participated in a student campaign competition through PRSSA. During that project, I met a local PR spokesperson who hired me for my first post-graduate job just a few months later. When I was ready to move to Memphis, PRSA once again supported my search. After posting my resume to the PRSA Memphis website, I received an email from Courtney Liebenrood Ellett, who I now work with at Obsidian Public Relations.

So what if you’re not looking for a job? That’s great. PRSA or any other professional organization can still serve as a good resource. In the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to learn firsthand about Duncan-Williams’ popular Live at the Garden YouTube videos, how Anthony Siracusa transformed Memphis’ bicycling culture and the role communications plays in corporate culture from the CEO of First Horizon. The regular luncheons are a great way to get an inside look into the industry, as well as an opportunity to meet other PR pros in town.

Looking for more information on PRSA? Check out the Memphis Chapter’s website by clicking here and the Dallas Chapter by clicking here.