Entering the Workforce During an Economic Downturn: A Letter from a Couple Millennials

A few suggestions for recent graduates entering the workforce.

Dear Recent Graduate,

The beginning of your career journey is going to be a disappointment. We know what you have been led to believe: work hard in grade school, get into college or a technical program, and then you will be all set to successfully join “the real world.” You expected to hit the ground running and already be collaborating with team members in a brightly lit office or out in the field. But for many of you, that is not the case right now, and you don’t know when someone’s going to appreciate all your work, earned skills, and personal drive to be a part of something greater than yourself. Like our generation, the beginning of your career will be more difficult than you or your parents expected. But have hope. You can start your journey by finding a successful entry-level job. Luckily, careers are more like marathons, not sprints to a finish line. For now, practice resilience, creativity, resourcefulness, and continue to maintain a positive mindset. 

For many graduates across the country, the next chapter looks daunting. What was once a promising job market, appears to be a sudden wasteland from opportunity. Organizations with positions to fill are freezing their hiring. Worse yet, some are laying off their existing workforce in droves, creating more competition within industries. It is a bleak situation, naturally leaving one feeling anxious, mad, betrayed and many other feelings of frustration and grief. On the brighter side, many individuals, like ourselves, experienced similar situations during the Great Recession. Unlike you, we didn’t have an older generation to learn from. What was true for previous recessions could not help us – particularly those of us with millennial-level student debt. So we are providing some advice from our first-hand experiences on how to navigate difficult and turbulent times.

Expand your job search, including outside your local region, and be open to other opportunities 

Your first dream job may no longer be a possibility, but don’t let that delay the start of your career. Keep searching for open positions, even if it means taking a job not directly related to your background. Remember, it is easier to find a job when you already have one. Additionally, you can add new skills and job experience to your resume. Continue to monitor job boards at organizations where you want to be and ask folks who hold positions you admire to have informational interviews. This way, you are learning about the organization and what skills those jobs require and you can work towards developing those skills, positioning you to interview well and land the job you want when there is an opening. Hiring may be paused for now, but it will eventually resume.

If the job market is extremely tight in your immediate surroundings, consider whether you could relocate to a place with more need for your background and skill set. For example, when George graduated in 2009, the job market in Wisconsin for his industry was extremely tight. He found a job in Chicago and relocated. Some cities or towns will be more recession proof than others.

Receiving a first job offer after graduating is an accomplishment, especially during recessions. Celebrate this win! It will relieve significant pressure on you and give you momentum. Better yet, it comes with a paycheck! 

Learn to network and find a mentor, such as through your alumni career center

Networking can seem awkward and ineffective, especially if you are new to it. Individuals can make the mistake of collecting as many business cards as possible, but never making a connection. Unless you are an event or venue promoter, we suggest you focus on quality connections over quantity. In a recent interview with a local Chicago newscaster, Fran Berrick, successful executive and career coach with Spearmint Coaching, advises new graduates to tap into friendly networks through parents, professors, and professional contacts from internships. Your family and these other individuals tend to know first-hand what you can bring to a job opportunity and can make a great introduction or recommendation to a new contact.

Alumni mentors and network are another great source of inspiration and professional connections. Take advantage of your college’s career center and ask if they offer a mentorship program. If you are volunteering, see if a supervisor or a colleague who has worked in your field for a while will advise you. Mentors can provide valuable insight into the job market for specific industries, resume tips, and quality introductions to other professionals. Remember to thank those who give their time to you with a thoughtful email or handwritten note.

One last tip on networking: If someone says they will help you, but you stop engaging with them, they will most likely assume you have landed a position. In other words, every few weeks or months, reconnect with your mentors and continually activate your established network. They want to help you and answer your questions, but they are not going to chase you down to do it. Keep your champions apprised of your efforts and your successes, be this through a great campaign you worked on while volunteering or a new certificate you earned.

Volunteer

Volunteering can provide a sense of a self-worth and give you new or more developed skills to add to your resume. It can provide structure to your day and help expand your network. Volunteering may even lead to a paid position! Because many organizations, particularly nonprofits, are struggling with the current market situation, you may be able to discover new volunteer opportunities that did not exist previously. We recommend you inquire about opportunities and offer to help at organizations within the industry you want to enter. As stated previously, it is also easier to land a job when you already have a job, even if it isn’t paying you. Volunteering can act like a job by preventing gaps in your resume while building your network. These intangibles can propel you forward and make you more competitive than other job seekers.  

Take Advantage of free online resources

Today’s abundance of online offerings and their variety is incredible. Many public libraries offer free subscriptions to LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com). You can find hundreds of courses related to numerous industries and job positions. Libraries also provide access to language learning materials (always a resume booster) and magazines for your preferred industry sector so you can stay up to date on industry news and best practices. If you don’t have a library card, some of these subscriptions offer free trials. For example, LinkedIn Learning offers a free month subscription. If you have not explored these options already, now is a great time. Depending on your interests, we also recommend learning more on the use of Salesforce, which offers “Trailhead” to learn in-demand skills for numerous job positions related to Salesforce. Trailhead also has a community of support around it, which means more opportunities to network meaningfully with other professionals! And if you are looking to add coding to your skill set, check out resources like freecodecamp.org.

We’ve listed just a few examples of free resources that we’ve used as job hunters and while working in our fields, but there are many more that can grow your substantive knowledge base as well as your skills toolbox. By adding credentials and certifications to your resume can show that you are a self-starter and eager learner, which may expedite finding your first (or second) job.  

Hopefully, these recommendations help you. We encourage you to remain positive and hopeful despite the uncertainty ahead of you. Best of luck in the next chapter of your journey. 

Sincerely,

A couple of millennials

About the authors:

George Driscoll-Lovejoy is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Ruth Driscoll-Lovejoy is a graduate and mentor from Texas A&M University at Galveston and Vermont Law School. She is also a board member of Vermont Law School’s alumni association in Washington D.C.