"Advice for New Grads with No Prior
Experience"
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By Frank J. Conde, MBA
Lead Senior Partner, GSP
International Search Firm specializing in the accounting and finance
professions.
Congratulations!
As a new accounting graduate, you’ve just spent the last four plus years of
your life studying, enduring and persevering to accomplish something that at
times seemed unattainable. It’s now time to make the transition from the
academic world to the real world. You’re now faced with your next daunting task
trying to find a job with little or no experience. How does one go about it
and where does one start? I’ve compiled a few simple steps that will help the
new grad in getting their profile in the hands of the right people.
- Make sure your resume is in shape.
Your resume is by far your most critical marketing tool. Make sure that
it is clearly and concisely written, and that it reflects the following:
- Contact Information: Name, address, phone
number and e-mail address
- Objective: What position are you
seeking
- Education: School name, year and
month of graduation, degree earned and GPA (if 3.0 or greater)
- Computer Skills
- Languages: Foreign language
proficiency (if any)
- Co-op/Internship: Company name, title,
dates of employment, list your duties using the bullet format. Start each
bullet with a verb (Prepares, Develops, Maintains)
2.
NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK!! Expose your skills and qualities as much as
possible.
Personal networking will account for a great deal of your job search
success.
Utilize the following sources to learn about job openings:
- Personal Contacts: Family, friends and
business acquaintances.
- Answer Classified Ads: Local newspapers,
accounting journals and trade magazines.
- Internet Job Search: There are several
websites geared specifically for job searching. Here are a few examples:
- College Career
Centers:
These offices help their students and alumni find jobs. They are free of charge
take full advantage of them.
- Professional
Recruiting Firms: Utilize a quality firm that specializes in the accounting and
finance professions. These firms will help you with resume preparation,
provide you with interview tips, save you valuable time and put you in
touch with their quality client companies for an interview.
- Attend Job Fairs: These events are
specifically designed to gather numerous hiring companies under one roof.
They are typically run by universities or are advertised in the classified
section of your local newspaper.
The more of the
sources above that you use in looking for a new job, the more likely it is that
you’ll find one. Best of luck and remember…finding your first professional
position can frequently be the most difficult of all.