Vector Marketing: College Students Should Prepare for First Job While Still in School

Digital Journal:

A recent study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that only 25 – 27 percent of teenagers will land a job this summer. This statistic is indicative of a continued bleak outlook in the overall job market, with implications that will also affect college graduates looking for their first job. In the current job market, a high GPA is no longer enough to secure a job after graduation. According to Sarah Baker Andrus, director of external relations & academic programs for Vector Marketing Corporation, the sales division of Cutco Cutlery Corporation, college students who want to up the odds of landing their first job out of school must think experientially.

Andrus offers tips to help students build a resume while still in school that will help ensure they land that coveted first job.
Focus on jobs that will pack a punch on your resume and set you apart from the crowd. Andrus suggests taking a job that will help you achieve your career goals, such as a restaurant job for an aspiring chef or a sales job for a business major.

Volunteer your way to great experience. Though unpaid, volunteering is impressive to future employers, both from an experiential and a civic-minded perspective.

Seek part-time experience to fill holes in your background.

Cultivate great references. “It’s true that ‘who you know’ matters very much in the work world,” says Andrus. “A great personal reference can make the difference when trying to get your foot in the door.”

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