Colleges are supposed to set us on our work path, but, increasingly, there’s a gap you have to fill to go from diploma to meaningful career.
Neither college graduates nor employers themselves seem satisfied in how universities are preparing graduates for work. A recent survey by education-technology company Cengage survey found that 19% of recent graduates said their college experience did not provide them with the skills needed to perform their first job after getting their degree. Worse, in that same survey, 53% said that hadn’t even applied to an entry-level job in their field because they felt unqualified, and 42% said they felt unqualified because they didn’t believe they had the skills that were listed in the job description.
Employers also indicate that they’re not convinced candidates are ready. A 2021 survey by the Association of American Colleges & Universities indicated that only 62% of employers thought college graduates “possess the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in entry-level positions.” For people who wanted to rise in their careers, the bad news got worse: 55% of employers believe college graduates have what’s needed for advancement and promotion.
Why is this? Employers are not looking for knowledge when it comes to hiring people at the beginning of their careers. They aren’t going to hire you on your qualifications. You don’t really have any, except for the occasional internship or part-time job. They are hiring on qualities. They want people because of their skills, habits and approach to work and life. That same AACU survey said employers prefer skills like teamwork, critical thinking, data analysis and interpretation, applying learning in real-world settings, and digital literacy in their new hires. They also valued mindsets and attitudes like drive, work ethic, the ability to take initiative, self-confidence, persistence and self-awareness.
So how do you bridge this gap?
Mine Your College History for Relevant Experience
You experienced a ton in college, and that experience is valuable to employers. If you held executive positions in a sorority or fraternity, you no doubt learned collaboration, good communication skills, critical thinking and data analysis. If you played a sport, you learned the value of competition, leadership and teamwork. Determine which skills you mastered in college outside the classroom and reposition your job search around those factors.
Consider a Post-Graduation Internship
You may not step on the first rung of your career ladder on the day you graduate, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a job in the interim. Many companies are beginning to offer experiential internships instead of entry-level positions to recent college graduates. True, you will sacrifice salary and benefits in these internships, but you will gain valuable real-world experience. What’s more, these positions almost always put you at the head of the line for full-time work when jobs become available. Find your dream company and take an internship as a way in.
Hire a Coach to Focus on Your Values
Sometimes we can’t see the milk carton in front of us when we open the refrigerator. Getting an outside persepctive from a career coach or a mentor in your chosen field always helps in figuring out how to bridge the gap from diploma to career. Coaches in particular are great in helping you assess what values you can bring to an employer. That focus on values often helps crystalize how you should begin your career search and can help you understand yourself better.
