Starting as a Guppy

When we enter the workforce we all start as guppies, fresh new fishes in the pond.

Some of us have sharper teeth, a more graceful way of swimming, or a shiny color, and we all come in different shapes and sizes.

But knowing who you are and your place is crucial before you step into the pond.  

Emily Bennington, an expert from Professional Studio 365, who helps college graduates transition from college to the work force, advises if you are going to be successful in your job, you have to make sure you are a cultural fit within the organization.

In order for you to find the place that feels right when you make a decision about a job, Emily says you must get a strong sense of the organization you’re going to work at.  

One of the ways of doing that is figuring out whether or not you can work with your boss well.

A second would be figuring out what the organization’s main purpose is. What is the thing they strive to do the most at this organization, and ask yourself, do I agree with that purpose?

The final and the most important factor to ask yourself in this process: can I be happy here?

Once you answer these questions, weigh your answers with what is important to you, and if it’s a positive result, say yes to it.

Of course, you won’t have leverage to make demands of your environment, Emily also says, but your qualifications are just as important as theirs.

Even though the unemployment rate might force some of us to think to forget the qualifications and just say yes because you’re lucky to be holding a job, that should not be the case.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for college graduates with a bachelor’s degree was 5.1 percent in November of this year.

But just because you might be scared that it will be awhile until you get the job that makes you happy, the unemployment rate is not the sole reason to say yes to a job.

You have plenty of time to decide what you really want to do during the time being you are searching for a job.

“There is and will be improvement for the job market within the next year to eighteen months,” Emily says.  

So take Emily’s advise, and evaluate the jobs before you make a decision.

Who knows? In a matter of fifteen to twenty years, you could be the next Walter of the lake.  

My first interview with Emily Bennington

So my first interview was yesterday....a good icebreaker I must say, with Emily Bennington, the woman who is helping college students understsand the transition period from college to the work-force. She is a co-author of the book: Effective Immediately: How to Fit in, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job. It was a great interview to be sure, and I'm very grateful that I was given the opportunity to talk with her. Emily, if you're reading this, thank you very much!

From what I got from the interview, the whole reason for her book was to describe that her transition from college to work was bumpy, and she made mistakes along the way. But, with every mistake comes a little bit of knowledge, and the more mistakes you make, the more knowledgeable you become about your job.

One of the first things she said to me that was important in the professional world is your appearance. In other words, the way you dress. Second, its important for you as the new employee to realize that you are part of a team-effort within the environment that you work. It is important of course to achieve your own success, but your success is also dependent on the team effort you all put in. She's right. It's important to cultivate with the team if you set high goals for yourself, and focus on the positive result the team can and will achieve.

Those of you that are college students right now and have the opportunity to work with other classmates on a project, give yourself that window of opportunity to learn how to work with other team-members. The rewards and process you learn with them will be beneficial to your growth.

On another important piece of information Emily gave me, while you're working with teams of people, its also important to try to be a good follower first. I know that you may think you know everything coming right out of college, but in reality, you're still a newbie. Start fresh by cultivating some interpersonal skills with the people you work with closely. You have to learn to do this well if you're going to be successful in the long run. After all, working with people and congratulating them on their successes and achievements will ultimately make people craft a positive perspective on who you are, and what you can contribute to the workforce. Treat people as you would want to be treated. Eventually, people will take notice and follow the protocol you set for yourself.

This was one of my favorites - Emily also said to mind your 'bilities' meaning your responsibility to your job and company, your accountability as an individual, punctuality, duality, and any other 'alities' you can think of. Try your talents out, and figure out what feels good and right for you. In order to effectively stand out, Emily also says, its the little things done very well that add up and contribute to the success of yourself.

Now, I know what you all are probably thinking: all she had to ask was good stuff, when we really need to know what is the outlook for us right now for getting that job? Well, I asked Emily in light of the situation with the unemployment, how do you think it looks for college grads right now? And she said the light is coming within a year to 18 months. Their are signs of improvement in the workforce, and it will loosen up a bit once the early baby-boomers that are soon going to be turning 65 will retire. That will open up a lot of jobs for the younger generations to take. Our generation - the nineties/millenium kids is what Emily likes to call the 'Entrepreneurial Generation'. Sales is going to be a huge market for us because so many young kids are taking the thought of owning their own businesses into their heads. Might not be the easiest feat, but it is sure to last once the economy is on the rise. Technology is the other big industry we are definitely most capable of going into and making a career for ourselves.

Of course, once the interviews start coming in, it is important for us all to recognize that just because the unemployment is high, that doesn't mean you have to immediately say yes to a job if it is just for a paycheck. You have to know that you will be happy in this job, otherwise, you're stuck doing something for awhile that you don't like. That's not what this is about - to just take the first job that comes along because you're afraid of never having another interview. If the job doesn't make you happy, there's no sense in doing it. As Emily said, its better to evaluate a few jobs before you get in there. Do your diligence on the job, and see where you can fit in. Its your persistence you need to count on in order to find that job that makes you happy.

Finally, the most important thing I learned from Emily is her signature quote. "Be your best. Do your best. Work hard. Never give up."

Day 1

Hello Everyone! My name is Abby Wood, I'm a recent college graduate from High Point University, living at home in Roswell, Georgia looking for a full-time job like a lot of you out there. First off, let me just say that I am new to researching and writing something like this - finding a job. However, in my recent experiences, I've come to believe that once you get a flow of interviews, people to talk to, writing up resumes and cover letters, and just a general knowledge of how you should go about finding a job, I think it becomes pretty easy after awhile. Secondly, I'm not in any way pretending to be an expert on this, or a higher power, or whatever you might call it, I'm just simply investigating and writing about the things I've done and what others have done to find a job. A job that pays well anyway.

Just so everyone knows, I do have a background in Journalism, that's what I majored in college, and it really is my thing to do: be a journalist. So what I'm deciding to take on is an extensive collaboration of college graduates and their stories about finding a job after college. For those of you who had a job, and then were laid off, I would welcome an opportunity to hear your story as well, however my primary focus is college graduates.

So here I go with this big responsibility, not sure how long its going to go for, but please feel free to contact me through email to share your story! This is slalombabe@gmail.com signing off.