Recent graduates, what your job search is missing: Focus

One of the biggest challenges recent graduates face when it comes to job search is simply identifying what they want to do. As a recent college graduate, I know this firsthand.

With your degree in hand, you set off into the real world hoping to find opportunity and to land your dream job. You have worked hard for your degree and now have enthusiasm to enter into your field of study. However, often times this passion is misguided. You are excited to get a job utilizing your degree, but you haven’t truly considered what you want.

For instance, you know that you want to work in advertising, but have you considered company size, client types, location, or job titles? Have you thought about what lifestyle your job can support? Or even what makes you happiest in life?

Determining the answers to these questions is essential to beginning a meaningful and successful job search -- and the WiserU Career System teaches you how to do just that. By following the steps outlined in the system, I gained a laser focus on the types of jobs that matched my skills and interests.

My degree is in Public Communication and after graduating college, I knew I wanted to do some form of public relations. However, as graduation crept closer and closer, I realized that searching for jobs was more complex than I initially thought. I never thought about things like company size or potential job titles.

However, the first module of the WiserU Career System helped me figure out exactly what I wanted. By asking myself important, relevant questions, I determined that I should look for Public Relations or Communications Specialist positions at medium-sized companies in the Greater St. Louis Area.

As important as determining precisely what you want, perhaps even more important is learning where to go from there. After determining that I wanted to be a Public Relations or Communications Specialist, I learned through the WiserU Career System how to brand myself for those jobs. I was able to identify and convey my relevant strengths such as writing, editing, event planning, and social media, to truly market myself as a strong job candidate.

As a result, my outlook on job search has greatly improved. I know exactly what I am looking for, which has resulted in less stress and less wasted time. Additionally, it has become easier for employers to find me and understand who I am and what I do because I’ve learned how to modify my resume and LinkedIn profile to match their open jobs.

Having a well-defined, laser focus is key to a successful job search. The WiserU Career System was able to help me find the focus that my job search needed. Perhaps it can help you, too. To learn more about the WiserU Career System, visit www.wiseru.com/career-system, or email susan @ wiseru.com.

About the WiserU Career System

By Zachary Luedtke is a graduate of Truman State University. Zach has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Communication.