Working Strategies: Some ideas for college grads who can’t find work

Amy Lindgren It s feeling like a tough job sphere for new college graduates whether they re holding a two-year or four-year degree is getting tougher With various employers delaying their hiring and others conducting layoffs it s not a great time to have a degree but limited experience in one s new field Greater part new grads have tried multiple job search strategies with perhaps varying levels of success That s a good start but the tougher the sphere the longer these attempts can take to pay off If you ve in recent days graduated you still need to do something worthwhile even if job search is going slowly With that in mind here s a baker s dozen of productive things to consider for this awkward space between graduation and the start of the career you re pursuing Note that these ideas are intended as companions to an ongoing job search In majority of cases you wouldn t be shutting down your process so much as streamlining your efforts to make room for something else Take on a gig job Driving for Uber or delivering for DoorDash may not feel ultra-productive but it can provide cash flow and the opportunity to meet people Work for a temporary agency In years past temping had been a rite of passage for unemployed new graduates It s also a not-uncommon pathway to permanent employment even when the initial job is unrelated to your career goal Take lower-level or unrelated jobs Don t let pride keep you from a retail or hospitality job presuming those aren t in your career path Work is work and you ll benefit from both the income and the schedule Ask past employers for interim work Returning to former employers can pay off faster than forging new connections since they already know you can do the job Take or create a volunteer job Here s where you can better control the content of the work itself even if you re sacrificing pay to do it Consider your career-related skills then look for nonprofits or startups that could benefit from them Craft an internship This is another version of the self-crafted volunteer gig In this incident you re asking an employer in your field to take you on for a specific period of time perhaps - weeks where you would simultaneously learn and contribute to their association It can be a tough sell but easier if you have contacts Start a business Sometimes the quickest path to employment is to hire yourself Despite the temptation to offer services in your chosen field remember the goal is to move forward on something hastily Consider instead tried-and-true options such as lawn care or house cleaning for neighbors and family friends Take in-person courses to build hands-on skills Pivoting to training options consider which hands-on skills you could benefit from learning Anything from nursing assistant to line cooking to low-voltage wiring or computer repair could become a fallback source of income Earn an online certificate Hewing closer to your career path consider certificates that will matter in your field perhaps input analytics project management or employee coaching for example Write about issues in your field If you have ideas or even questions about topics in your career area putting them together on Substack LinkedIn or another platform could help you grow your expertise and possibly make contacts as well Coach or tutor kids in your neighborhood It may not fit into your career plans but area involvement will invariably outcome points with future employers It can also be a rich source of contacts depending on the plan Sign up for an immersive experience AmeriCorps Peace Corps fire utility work these can turn into a job search pause but sometimes that s just what you need when the area isn t cooperating Earn the next degree That s a standby but it may not be bad advice Depending on how far you were already intending to go in terms of tuition or training adding the next level now can shelter you somewhat during a rocky sphere Just don t do it for the wrong reasons a tight field doesn t mean an impossible one If you re going to take this leap it should be part of a larger plan Okay that s a starter list but it covers a lot of territory for things new graduates can do while riding out a complicated job domain Come back next week for a closer look at how a stripped-down job search can pair effectively with these non-career pursuits Related Articles Working Strategies Second Sunday Series Support to confront an AI world Working Strategies Random thoughts Office not work on-the-job training Working Strategies Adjusting to and surviving return-to-work Working Strategies Do you have a bucket list for your career Working Strategies Competing offers prove both a good and bad dilemma to have Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St Paul She can be reached at alindgren prototypecareerservice com