In the last week, I\u2019ve received a half-dozen emails from concerned college students looking down the barrel of starting their careers during a pandemic. It\u2019s been scary for all of us, but can you imagine leaving the comforts of a college campus and stepping foot into this dystopian nightmare? Yikes.<\/p>\n
As I\u2019ve been thoughtfully responding to each email, a few key themes stand out, and I wanted to put them down on paper for new college graduates looking for a little career advice on how to find employment against frightening odds.<\/p>\n
So, here’s the thing: New grads are kinda perfect for this new world order.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re hungry. They\u2019re cheap. They bring new ideas to the table (and we desperately need new ideas). They\u2019re already accustomed to remote working. They\u2019ve grown up on the internet. They all already have incredible websites and resumes. And outstanding video production is second nature to them. (Seriously, how is all the TikTok content so good?) Best of all, the smart ones are already reaching out and forming connections with people like me.<\/p>\n
In other words, smart young professionals have the opportunity to position themselves as pandemic-proof labor that will give your business a leg up for whatever the future holds. I actually think that message sells.<\/p>\n
Why you, specifically?<\/p>\n
I always ask this during interviews, and I can count the number of memorable responses on one hand. Young professionals must have a persuasive answer to this question, and it can\u2019t be because you\u2019re a hard worker. Work ethic and desire are table stakes. What specifically distinguishes you from the next interviewee? Why are you any better than your peers?<\/p>\n
This obviously isn\u2019t an easy question, but that\u2019s why the answer is so valuable. It\u2019s your own personal brand distinction.<\/p>\n
If after thinking about this for a while, you can\u2019t identify a good answer, then that should inspire you to take action. Start a blog. Get certified. Read industry news. Make and create and publish. Do something\u2014anything\u2014that makes you stand out.<\/p>\n
I graduated with a journalism degree in May 2008, so I know a thing or two about plans falling apart.<\/p>\n
When my local paper laid off 80% of its staff just weeks before my graduation, I remember Googling \u201cpublic relations internships Denver\u201d and spending hours crafting custom emails to anyone that might hire someone like me. I managed to land an internship at a great PR shop in Denver, and I legitimately worked my ass off to get hired full-time. Then, after thinking I had somehow successfully pivoted, within six months the economy collapsed and my agency\u2014the oldest and largest agency in Denver at the time\u2014suddenly shuttered. For the next 10 months, I learned the true meaning of \u201chustle\u201d while I collected unemployment checks, before finally getting rehired.<\/p>\n
That period of my life radically changed who I am and how I work, and I hope it lights a fire under the asses of new graduates, too.<\/p>\n
The smart ones are already grinding\u2014I\u2019ve got the emails to prove it.<\/p>\n
Note: This piece was originally published on our CJ Powell’s LinkedIn page.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Some Advice For Entering a Post-COVID Workforce In the last week, I\u2019ve received a half-dozen…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insights"],"yoast_head":"\n