Entry Level is H-E Double Hockey Sticks!

One of my near and dear blog followers suggested that I give some advice to my entry-level audience.

The ideal situation for any college graduate is to have a job waiting for them or possibly the prospect of being sought after. Most of us are not fortunate to have a network of people who can hook us up with a job in the field and industry we want to be in. I have some first hand experience of the ultimate lows in trying to survive in the cold, cruel concrete jungle we call work since I didn’t have the opportunity to inherit a job from my parents and I didn’t have any friends or family who could get me a job in the field I was interested in. Oh, and I didn’t have any money so desperation and drive helped me keep my head above water and pay off some credit card debt along the way.

Here is some tough love advice from me to you…

For Starters

You need to build experience so it is important to stack up on internships while you are still in school (the best ones seem to be the unpaid ones) to really get experience in your industry or field. This step is important for many reasons, which includes, getting a realistic view of what the pros and cons are in that field or industry first hand. You should aim to do this so that you can gain your own perspective and not read it out of some career catalog or book. Also, if you do a good job, there may be job prospects for you as a result. You can also use your internships as an opportunity to build contacts in your professional network. If you want a career in a certain field bad enough, I guess you would be willing to look past or deal with the negative.

Don’t flip burgers!

Unless you are planning on franchising the Burger King down the block, don’t waste your time working in retail, restaurants, or fast food. You are worth more than that the minute you set foot in college (don’t let this go to your head though). If you really need money to sustain yourself financially, you should go for paid internships only even if the pay sucks. Trust me, this will pay off in the end.

-Interview tip: Don’t be afraid to ask if you will have an opportunity to be hired full time upon graduation.

No internships under your belt or job experience?

The biggest mistake I’ve noticed, is the perception of deserving more or being overqualified for your entry-level position. This is where you have to step off your high horse and look at the big picture. What can you really offer the company you are working for? You may be a smart person, but they need more than that. If you are reading this and realize that you are arrogant and elitist, you still have some alternative options. You can to start your own company, go back to school, or just deal with your current job get the tenure and skills that you need. No pain no gain. If you woke up this morning and realized your boss does not really care that you graduated from college, you’re probably right. Many companies list “college degree” as a requirement or preference for clerical and administrative masked as “entry-level” jobs because it’s the only way that they can legally discriminate against you in an effort to decrease the number of applicants. That is not an assumption.