The job market in the United States is at one of the lowest points in recent memory. While a college degree used to be seen as an automatic ticket to a middle class life due to recent economic developments finding a job after college is harder than it has been in any time in the past fifty years. Many college graduates have no idea where to begin and lack the skills necessary for obtaining reasonable employment once they have finished school. The following guide will list some effective strategies for finding a job after college.

The first and most important step to getting a job after college is a good resume. The vast majority of employers will want a clean and concise list of your previous experience and achievements in order to vet you as a job candidate. Creating a good resume is essential to securing a position in a company or firm. You should create a “master” resume which will have the bare essentials of what you have accomplished. This includes your educational and technical credentials as well as any long term work experience you have. Special skills, such as being bilingual or having specific knowledge about a subject or system should be added or removed depending on the position you are applying for. For example, when applying for a position as a social worker you may want to let your potential employer know that you are bilingual, however this skill may not be as relevant to a computer engineering firm. You also want to make absolutely sure there are no spelling or grammar errors on your resume, in this job market any mistake can get you thrown out of the pool of potential applicants.

Another important strategy to use when trying to find a job after college is taking advantage of any connections you may have made in college or in any other facet of your life, through family, friends, etc. Professors you studied under may have job opportunities or may be able to get you interviews or meetings that you may not have had access to otherwise. The same goes for any family or friends who you may have an in with. Social capital is very valuable and using your connections can go a long way to helping you find gainful employment.

The hockey legend Wayne Gretzsky once said “you miss 100 percent of the shots you never take”. While he was talking about taking shots on goal in the sport of hockey this logic also applies to your job hunt. You will never be hired for a position for which you did not apply so make sure to take your job hunt seriously and send out as many resumes and attend as many interviews as you possibly can. The more you put yourself in these situations the more likely it is that you will be able to find a job straight out of college.

Many job seekers find jobs by moving to areas that are in need of workers. If you happen to live in an area that has low unemployment you are lucky. If not, you should always consider relocating to an area where your skills may be in higher demand. This may mean moving to a different city within your state, it may mean commuting, it could even mean moving across the country. The point is if you want to maximize your chances of getting hired you may have to take drastic action to do so. Moving can be hard but it beats being unemployed.

If you put in the work and are willing to use these strategies you should not have a problem finding entry level work out of college. Once you get your in at a particular company and some experience in your field finding employment will become much easier and possibly more lucrative. Just remember to keep trying and do not be afraid to use different methods to achieve your goal of getting a job after college.