Certainly, with COVID, graduating from college this year was extremely different. Your last semester was not spent away at school and you were unable to be with friends. Your graduation ceremony may have been non-existence or was done virtually.
One of the major concerns that many graduates now have – how do I find a job? Many colleges offer job fairs and individuals will get introduced to employers that way. They may not have happened this year. Many employers have been shut down for weeks or months and are not sure that they can retain current workers much less consider hiring new workers. It is difficult now to be able to do in-person interviews, especially if you need to travel to the location where you want to get work.
Many current graduates and even those who graduated in the last few years may feel their lives are in a holding pattern. Meanwhile, student loan payments will start coming due in a few months. You do not want to be living under your parents’ roof and rules again. For many, you feel you want to get started with “your adult life” yet cannot do so.
The name of the game right now needs to be patient. The likelihood of you finding your dream job is much lower than usual – and even in the last few years, that has been difficult. Whether you just graduated and are looking for work or have recently become unemployed for whatever reason, consider the following recommendations.
1. Get a part-time job, if not a full-time job. Various studies show that it is much easier to get a job if you already have one. It shows prospective employers that you are hungry to get on with your life and willing to “do anything” to move that forward. It may give you a source for a recommendation. Your current employer can tell a prospective employer that you are punctual, hardworking, consistent, trainable, or have any traits that an employer is looking for in a prospective employee.
Hopefully, you can find even an entry-level position in your desired occupation. If not, even working retail, in a restaurant, or working in the parks for the summer can provide experience. An employer may be looking for your ability to work with the public, to work as part of a team, show up on time for work, and put in the effort required to do a job are essential skills to develop. Driving for a ridesharing service, operating a lawnmowing service, being a nanny, or any small business endeavor can provide income and teach you the skills needed to run your own business.
The key is knowing this job is meant to be a stepping stone while you find your ideal position. This is a job, not your career.
2. Spend some time if you have not done so and determine your ideal employment. Do you want to work for a small company or larger? Geographically where would you like to live? What type of company culture are you looking for? Do you want an organization that fosters teamwork or more independent work? What benefits are important to you – flex time, vacation, 401(k), health insurance?
Also, realize while you are doing this exercise, there is a good chance that the first permanent position you find may not be the one. Is the offer that you received another steppingstone along the path that will get you to your dream position? Your career is a path, sometimes a very winding path. There may be a few steppingstones on that path or there may be many.
3. Get organized in your job search. Getting yourself listed on the various employment boards is a great start. Contacting companies you have an interest in working with is better – especially if you have someone you know in the company that can help you walk your resume through channels. Many colleges have an employment site available online. Participate in networking activities to foster contacts. Develop a system of how much time you will spend looking for work, what activities you will do during that time, how you will track what is happening and when you should be following up with a previous contact.
4. Create a spending plan. How is your part-time income to be spent? Are parents expecting you to financially participate in household expenses by paying rent, cell phone bills, health insurance, car insurance, etc.? Ideally, even though you are not required to do so, you would start making some payments towards your student loans. Payments now can reduce the mandatory payments that will be set up 6 months after you graduate.
Parents – do not give your offspring a free ride during this period! It can jeopardize your ability to retire if you are decreasing your retirement contributions to provide support. You are helping them by asking them to be financially responsible for whatever expenses they can afford. If you are working a 50 or 60 hour week because your employer requires that of you, should you not expect that same time commitment in your child between working and looking for work? Think about it – if you make a living at home too easy, will they ever want to leave? Certainly, help them during this period of uncertainty – there is a fine line between helping and enabling.
Both graduates and parents need to understand that we are currently in a unique employment environment. It may take longer to get a job. It may take longer to get employment in your occupational choice. Jobs may be shorter in duration, more temporary in duration, and have more uncertainty because of COVID issues. Employers may not be sure of their business growth and stability right now.
The likelihood is this may mean more prolonged cohabitation between grown children and their parents. The financial burden on parents may be higher than anticipated for a few years related to their grown children’s expenses. Both parents and children may see increasing levels of stress and uncertainty due to current COVID issues.
Parents must make sure that they agree on how they are going to manage this grown child in their house. What do you expect them to contribute as a member of your household? Are there certain chores that you expect them to do? Are you expecting them to make a financial contribution to the household? Are you expecting them to take over some of their expenses, such as cell phone bills, car insurance, or health insurance? Do you expect that they will get up by 8:00 am and get to work either with a part-time job or finding work or are you OK with them sleeping until noon? As parents, you need to realize this person has been on their own for several years and should not necessarily have the same rules that the child had while in high school. However, since they are living in your house, you have the right to have certain expectations while you support them. Make sure that the two of you as parents are on the same page regarding this.
Having regular meetings between the parents and this recent college graduate to discuss any concerns that each of you has can go a long way towards making this time easier for both. During these meetings, discuss financial concerns and household management concerns. Make sure that you understand what the graduate is doing to find more permanent employment and become self-supporting. Discussing mental health concerns from stress levels to depression related to job hunting, living together again, and the isolation caused by COVID can reduce the impact of these burdens. If you, as the parent, are suffering financial hardships because of COVID, make sure you are open with your adult child about your concerns.
A final recommendation – develop a timeline of when you expect this adult child to be out of the house so that everyone can plan to move on. Having everyone have the same expectations can ease this transition period.