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5 Ways to Be a Better Job Candidate

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Gradspot.com

Gradspot.com is the destination for life after college. They provide daily tips, tricks, and entertainment to help soon-to-be and recent college grads transition to the real world, whether that's in regards to their career, finances, apartment/house, healthcare, or any other issues pertinent to twenty-somethings. Their book, Gradspot.com's Guide to Life After College, is available on Amazon.com and as a free e-book at gradspot.com/book.

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While most people are prepared for the standards like “what’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome?” and “what’s your biggest weakness?” (please, just don’t say you’re “a perfectionist”), one seemingly benign question that often trips up less experienced job hunters is, “What have you been doing since you graduated?” Unfortunately, even though the most accurate and reasonable answer is probably, “Uhh…job-hunting?”, that response is not going to tell the interviewer anything interesting about you or demonstrate why you should get the job.

Recent grads who don’t have much employment history—as well as career-changers who have spent many months job-hunting—need to build their own stories and do their best to connect each story to the position they’re interviewing for. According to the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray, and Christmas, the average job-hunt takes four months, and in the current economic climate you can realistically expect it to take even longer. So how do you stay active and make sure you bring something to your interviews beyond an encyclopedic knowledge of daytime TV schedules? Here are five ways to boost your stock and make the most of unemployment.

Do volunteer work. Finding a non-profit organization that interests you can be a great way use your free time productively. From a personal standpoint, you will benefit from the opportunity to meet new people, pick up some new skills, and do something worth feeling good about.

And when it comes time for an interview, you can say that you wanted to donate your time and effort to a cause you strongly believe in, which will demonstrate your commitment and work ethic. End result? Everyone wins.

Find an Internship. You may think that being an intern is lowly for a recent graduate, but it’s crucial to have intern experience under your belt in today’s market. Even if you get an internship that’s unpaid and only keeps you occupied a couple days a week, it provides valuable experience to add to your resume and speak about with potential employers. Furthermore, it could be your golden ticket to a full-time gig—many great entry-level jobs never even make it onto jobs listings sites and instead are filled out of the pool of available interns.

Learn a New Skill. The more skills you bring to the table, the more attractive you’ll be to potential employers. Take advantage of the free time you have and learn to program, use Photoshop, or speak conversational Spanish. Find something that’s coveted in the field that interests you and dive in. If you are a self-starter you can find books and websites to learn almost anything for free, but you can also check out sites like Craiglist to track down tutors of all types.

Freelance or Find a Temp Gig. Why not make a little money and gain some exposure while you’re searching for a full-time opportunity? In the age of online content, finding freelance gigs is easier than ever, though the pay has suffered as a result. Moreover, you don’t have to be writer to freelance—web designers, artists, programmers, and copy editors can all pawn off their services. In addition to Craigslist, check out Indeed, SoloGig, and Mandy.

Take a (Productive) Vacation. Ok, so maybe going to Southeast Asia won’t help you with the specific goal of getting hired. But if your job-hunt is dragging on interminably, why not take a trip to somewhere you’ve always wanted to go? The chances of taking off on a two-month backpacking trek grow slimmer by the day once you’re on a career track, and as long as you explain your travels constructively, they shouldn’t hurt your chances of landing a job. In fact, they may even help. Employers value a range of experiences and a proven ability to be independent, and many companies report that employees who have taken gap years demonstrate more maturity and stay on longer than their peers.

Chris Schonberger is Editor-in-Chief of Gradspot.com