How To Really Get An Entry Level Job

I get asked a lot by all kinds of people about the “secrets” to landing a job – students, parents of students, experienced professionals, not so experienced professionals, etc. – it doesn’t matter – everyone has this belief that because I run a recruiting company and have worked in HR for going on 20 years I have the inside. Well, I do!

The cool thing is, most people already know what they need to do to land a job – they just refuse to do it. It’s the same with losing weight. Move more, eat less. It’s really that simple – but that takes work, that takes discipline – what we all want is that drink as much beer as you

want and eat fried foods diet – but we know that won’t work! (BTW – if you have a good Beer and Fried Foods Diet Plan please send it my way!)

Finding a job (especially an entry level professional level job) takes work, it takes networking, it takes picking up the phone and having conversations, it takes asking for help, it takes asking people to do things for you – and many of us just aren’t comfortable doing all of these things.

A while back I received a message through LinkedIn from Christina Hart. Christina is an entry level college grad from the University of Michigan, looking for an entry level professional level position in New York City. She is looking for a Social Media, PR, Marketing type position, is willing to grunt work. Christina was reaching out to me, asking to for a few minutes to talk, network and see how I might be able to assist her in her job search. After telling her I refuse to help UofM grads and ribbing about her school choice – we scheduled some time to talk. Here was my advice to her:

1. Keep doing what you’re doing. (Let’s face it – reaching out to random HR people you have no connection to and asking for help – takes guts! She has them.)

2. Use your University of Michigan (wait, I just threw up in my mouth) alumni status. She needs to LinkIn, email, call every single NYC UofM alumni that she can find and share her plight. Here’s one tip I think most people miss – start at the top first! Director, VP level and above – the more experienced the more willing they are to help, because they don’t fear you’ll take their job! If you want a Social Media job, don’t contact the Social Media person – they won’t help – they’ll think you’re after their spot.

3. Be Specific. Entry levels always want to open themselves up to as many possibilities as possible, but when HR folks and Hiring Managers see these resumes they feel like the person doesn’t know what they want. If you want a social media position, say you want a social media position and go after it. Specific people get hired before the all-things-to-all-people People.

4. Ask for help. Inherently, people want to help someone who asks for help – it’s in a normal person’s DNA. Entry levels tend not to want to “burden” people, and they make it too easy for people to turn them down. Don’t do this. Beg for help, plead for help – you’ll be amazed at what people will do to help you!

5. Commit. Christina is originally from the D (that’s Detroit for you none Michigan people), but she wants to live in NYC. She just signed a 4 month lease in NYC – she is committed. She is not waiting to get a job, then moving. She’s on the ground – will start tomorrow – ready! To few are willing to do this – it says a ton about her.

This is really hard for me to do, because I usually get paid a bunch of money for referring someone – but – got an entry level position you’re trying to fill? - give Christina a call, she is going to make some company very happy (even with that UofM degree)!

And don’t get use to this – I’m not giving away free talent everyday!

William Moore

EKU department of public Safety

4y

I hate to be the negative guy but... This was more or less useless.

Like
Reply

I will be graduating from Mount Holyoke in May with an International Relations degree. As a non traditional student who went back to finish her degree at 24, I though I had this whole job-hunting thing down. Welp, apparently not. I have been job-hunting like crazy since october last year and still no success, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG THAT I AM GETTING REJECTIONS FROM JOBS THAT I MOST DEFINITELY QUALIFY FOR.

Thank you for your advice I really enjoyed reading this. I am out here begging for help.

Like
Reply
James Gavern

Multilingual Customer Service Representative French Canada / LATAM

9y

Thank you! This article really helped. I am a 27 year old young professional who started my career in a path having little to do with my field. I had no means of leaving the area I grew up in at that point, and I took something as challenging as I could imagine with hopes to find something else in the mean time. I found a job in my field, but the organization lost a lot of business when Putin cancelled Russian adoptions, and sadly had to return to my old job full time. I'm looking for an entry-level position in NYC myself now, as I have means of getting there. I speak several languages and majored in them at the University of Scranton. I'm having trouble finding entry-level anything that deals with my specialization. I'm not sure how to go about finding a career in my field and networking is something that I'm just now learning how to do. Anyone have any advice?

Is there a follow up to this? Has Christina found employment?

Like
Reply

To view or add a comment, sign in

Insights from the community

Explore topics