Poor College Student to Young Professional (7 Steps)

By Nate Desmond

Dream Job You just finished college. After over a decade of study, you have learned the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, not to mention the intricate details of your particular major. You are now the proud possessor of a crisp piece of paper.

Now what?

Landing your first job can be a challenging and difficult task, but it can also be exciting and, ultimately, rewarding. Much like your college years, your first job is an investment in the future. The skills you learn and the reputation you earn will do much to launch a strong career.

#1 Decide your life purpose

If you didn’t already do this in college, do it now. If you did already do this in college, do it again. Evaluate your skills and interests, talk with your parents and mentors, study God’s Word, and wrestle in prayer as you consider the path you think the Lord is leading you down. Don’t worry if this life purpose is different than a few years ago and don’t be afraid to change it again as the Lord reveals more of his plans for you. Do, however, determine the goal you currently think you should be working toward.

#2 Plan your next ten years

Once you have decided your general life purpose, zoom in on the details. Put together a fairly detailed plan for the next decade of your life. If becoming a pastor is your life goal, your ten year plan might include smaller goals of completing seminary, interning with a Biblical ministry, and assembling a Bible study group in your community.

As Proverbs 16:9 councils us, “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” Layout your plans, but be prepared to change them as necessary.

#3 Determine the best job for your current stage

Based on the skills that you need to learn, determine the best position that will balance application of your current abilities with the challenge of new learning. If necessary, be willing to take a lower paying job that will help you grow rather than a higher paying professional dead end.

#4 Research companies

Rather than randomly sending out resumes to every “accounting clerk” position advertised in the newspaper, put in the effort to research the various companies that you might be interested in working for. Not only will this help you find the best match for your current goals and aspirations, but it will also help you avoid being just another of the hundreds of resumes sorted by the tired hiring manager.

#5 Reach out to people you know

Once you have decided on a company (or two or three), begin contacting people you know. If you have cultivated a good LinkedIn profile, this online tool makes it quite simple to search by company and find people you know who work for the companies you are targeting. If you don’t have any direct connections, you might be able to find a friend-of-a-friend who you could reach through an introduction.

Take these people out for coffee and get their advice. Ask them questions about the company culture and mission. If you’re still interested in working for the company, tell them the type of position you are looking for and see if they know someone you should contact.

#6 Ace the interview

Once you have landed an interview, the job hunting process is only half finished. Prepare well for your first meeting and be prepared to ask the hiring manager questions about the company and, particularly, the position. Even though your preliminary research has shown good results, this interview should be just as much about you evaluating the company as it is about the company evaluating you. Pray for the Lord’s blessing and focus on ways that your skills will meet the companies needs.

#7 Do it again!

“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This will seem trite and useless when you are turned down for a position – particularly after all the research and work you put in - but don’t give up. Although you will likely not be fortunate enough to land your dream job on the first attempt, you will come away with lessons learned and ideas for the next try.

How did you (or will you) land your dream job?

Nate Desmond I'm a Christian young man working on my BSBA in Accounting and writing blog posts in my spare time. I enjoy learning how to do things faster and better... whether through new keyboard shortcuts, world record holding shoelace knots, or motion study.

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