Still Applying For Jobs Fresh Out of College?

I know when you look at my profile and you see that I just graduated from college in December 2020 you will probably think, "this kid doesn't know what she's talking about," or "what does this kid know?" but I promise it will make sense.

I hear fellow graduates and current students talking about their job and internship searches like "this isn't really what I WANT to be doing." A little tough love here, but so what? Doing something is better than doing nothing. Getting experience is better than letting your skills and knowledge slowly fade while you're stuck in your search for the perfect job.

Every job you have will not be your dream job. Every internship you get, you may not want to do for the rest of your life, but guess what? Every job that you take an internship you complete is a step in the right direction. It is pushing your boundaries and making you think outside the box in order to better yourself. By doing something outside of your comfort zone you are making yourself an ideal candidate for your next job interview.

I graduated in December 2020. I was applying for full-time and part-time social media jobs for four months. I got interviews with a botox place and a communications place and an advertising agency. Some in Rochester, New York, some in California. I even made it a goal of mine to apply to 10 jobs in each state.

"But I don't want to move!"

Okay, then have fun STILL applying. Did you know I got more job interviews and callbacks from places out-of-state from where I graduated college? Yep. Of all the calls I got for places out in California or Idaho or even Oregon, I got maybe three in New York. Businesses want employees with a unique point of view. By hiring someone from out of state, they are hiring a new pair of eyes with a new box to think outside of. Everything is new to you when you take a job out of state so the options are limitless.

Did you know that 130 of the 240 colleges in New York State are in the Rochester, New York area? That means there's a heck of a lot of people applying for the same jobs as you right after graduation and you look exactly the same on paper.

"Well, there's a lot of colleges in other states too."

True, but how many New York state applicants are applying in Texas? South Carolina? Florida? There is a whole world to explore and you should do it while you don't have things tying you down. I have been in California since August 2020 and don't get me wrong, they have nothing on Rochester's pizza, chicken wings, OR Italian food, but it has been a great experience. I am so lucky to be able to wake up and go to work with a team that I adore already and create content that is meaningful and that helps small businesses.

Look, I'm not saying don't apply for the dream job. Do it. Apply, it can't hurt. I'm just saying take what comes and continue to work towards that dream job. If you start at the top, there's nowhere else to go, enjoy your journey.