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The graduation ceremony had a touch of solemnity and nostalgia about it; the special day has come and gone. Your precious child has reached the milestone you set them so many years ago; they listened to you and stayed the course. Perhaps you preached that once they had that foundation of a solid education under their belt they could step out into the world and enter the career of their dreams and start to build their own future. That time has now come and they are set to go out on their own, but there is nowhere to go. Every day young, intelligent, articulate graduates, pound the pavements in search of work. This year’s graduates are probably the most unfortunate in decades in terms of finding work. For many of them and indeed their colleagues who graduated up to two to three years ago, having a degree has not translated, as expected into getting a job. With the increased competition for only a few jobs from last year’s graduates who are still unemployed, the job outlook looks grim for scores of graduates. Are you an unemployed graduate? Do you have a child that faces this predicament? Here are some suggestions that might be useful until things improve.

Network, network, network

Does everyone you know realise that you are looking for a job? Use all the contacts and connections that you have, including your parents, aunts and uncles, family friends and so on. Make sure they know what your skills and talents are, so that they keep you in mind when they hear of any openings. Stay in close touch with professional colleagues and actively seek to expand your network. Use the web to search for job opportunities; through company websites you will be able to send out several applications efficiently, but bear in mind that most great job opportunities are not advertised; they are often filled by personal contacts.

Don’t give up

Having your graduate child return home to unemployment is a depressing experience for any parent, but you must continue to motivate and encourage them to keep searching. Naturally it can be very tedious and disconcerting sending out several applications but don’t

focus solely on your area of study, be flexible and broaden your scope. Searching in related fields boosts your chances of finding something that is relevant and that will still utilise your training and abilities and may even give you new skills. Get tips on how to improve the presentation of your CV to make it flawless and perfectly tailored to the positions you are seeking. What qualities do you have that might make you stand out amongst literally thousands of applications and make you more appealing to a potential employer?

Be flexible

If you are broke and are not one of those that are lucky enough to be housed and fed by your parents or relatives for an indefinite period, you cannot afford to sit at home until you find your dream job. If you regard every other position as demeaning and ‘beneath you’ as you are in fact ‘a graduate,’ you could be in for a long wait. In this highly competitive world in recession, it is important that you are humble and accept the fact that you will have to start at the bottom and work your way up. There may be opportunities working at a restaurant, in a shop, baby sitting and lots of other temporary jobs that can keep you busy and give you some badly needed cash until something more in line with your expectations and credentials turns up. Try to avoid having significant gaps of unemployment in your CV to have to explain in interviews. A future employer will be impressed that you did not just sit at home doing nothing but you kept yourself occupied gaining experience and new skills.

Do you have a special skill or tal-ent?

Be creative and identify that special gift or talent that you might have ignored before now. Do people always comment on your painting, photography or writing skills? Are you good at public speaking or organising, web-design or programming? Can you design clothes or model them? If you can play musical instruments to a decent standard, there may be freelance work as a singer, pianist, organist or violinist in churches, clubs, music lounges or private receptions. There may be opportunities to offer tutorial services in a subject that you excelled in, to students in your area. There are endless options and not only will you be earning, but you will also open yourself to opportunities and contacts that may be of help in your job hunt.

Consider working for free

One good way to get your foot in the door with a company or organisation is to demonstrate to them what you can do. By working as an intern or volunteering, you have an opportunity to impress them by showcasing your skills, commitment, and professionalism. This might make them want to hire you. Do not assume that doing volunteer work will translate into a permanent position with an organisation or you might be disappointed. Even if it doesn’t you would have gained valuable experience. Of course if you have no assistance whatsoever from family or friends, it will be difficult to work for free.

Consider setting your business

What is it that you are passionate about and capable of doing relatively easily and well? When you are young and free of significant financial or personal commitments such as a family, a mortgage and other debt, you have a unique opportunity to take some risk and consider establishing your own business if you are so inclined. Do you have what you consider to be a great idea that you are passionate about and doesn’t have huge start up costs? You may be surprised at what you can accomplish.

Consider the fact that there may be comfort in numbers. Perhaps you could partner with a classmate or a friend whose skills complement your own and set up something together.

Improve yourself

Whilst no learning is wasted, avoid fleeing into an expensive and lengthy graduate programme that may not necessarily give you that added advantage, just to postpone the difficult period. As far as possible, seek continue training and experience
that can directly support your chosen career path. Professional qualifications or certifications, or shorter courses to improve your IT and other skills can sometimes be of greater value at this time. The hard reality is that being a graduate never guaranteed anyone immediate employment. As you await the ‘right’ job, open yourself to various opportunities and experiences. Above all, maintain a sense of optimism and keep your spirits and energy levels up through exercise. Despair
and depression will only make you less attractive to a potential employer. It is that strength of character and self-confidence that will make you stand out and help get you through an employer’s door or the door of your own
small enterprise.