Most college students receive their degrees in May or early June and many still do not have jobs (much to their parents horror). How do I know this? I am a third party recruiter, recruiting for companies in the Plastic Industry at Discovery Personnel, Inc. and my electronic in-basket is overflowing with resumes from graduating college students. Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the resumes because it gives me a chance to develop business relationships with engineers starting their careers in plastics and associated industries but there is one ugly secret that keeps me up nights, THE ODDS ARE VERY HIGH THAT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND ANY OF THESE YOUNG ASPIRING COLLEGE GRADUATES A JOB!
Is this because I am not a good recruiter? My boss would probably answer yes to that question but the truth is, I am a successful recruiter by most standards. So why is it so unlikely that I will not be able to find these recent college graduates their first meaningful position in the business world? The answer can be summed up in one word, MONEY. Most companies do not want to pay recruiters for finding employees with no experience when they believe they can find all the recent graduates they need.
Am I writing this blog to ask graduating college students not to send Third Party Recruiters (Headhunters) their resumes and as for help? – NO! The reason I am writing this blog is to tell graduating college students not to rely on Headhunters solely to find jobs. Third Party Recruiters should be only one arrow in the job hunters quiver. Networking through the college is without a doubt the best method of finding an entry level position when graduating. Be sure to utilize all the resources that your college provides and don’t be afraid to let friends a neighbors know you are graduating from college and looking for your first career position.
And don’t even get me started about using job boards to find your first job after graduating from college.