As May comes to an end and college commencement ceremonies are happening all over the country, millions of new graduates are hitting the job market in search for that first step towards a career.

Start with Who You Know

Ask your friends, family, professors, co-workers – your network – if they know about any opportunities that would interest you. The majorities of colleges and universities have career services, job boards and other ways to find out about entry-level positions and internships that are available. Some companies even have agreements with specific schools to hire their students!

Remember, you aren’t asking them to get the job for you. It is up to you to pursue the opportunity. Prepare by doing your research about the different companies and positions your network has brought your attention to.

Use the Latest Tools

WhatYouPost has showcased many online tools and social media sites that can help you land the job you want. Use these technologies to your benefit. Show what you know on Twitter, show who you know on LinkedIn, and bring it all together on your personal website. These technologies are ever changing and provide new opportunities to help you during your job search today.

For example, LinkedIn recently added the “Follow Company” feature that allows users to find out more about the companies they are interested in, like job openings and business developments. LinkedIn Product Management Director, Ryan Roslansky, explains, “This feature can deliver insights – you may be surprised at – such as the pace of hiring at your nearest competitor or the start of a whole new industry as you see web technology companies hiring geography teachers.” Read more about this feature.

Don’t Give Up

Hopefully, upon graduation, you have figured out some ideas of what you want your first job to be, but if you haven’t, understand that the job search is a process and your first job may not be perfect, and it may not turn into a career. In fact, most Gen-Yers will change “careers” six or seven times in their lifetimes. Your first job may not be perfect, but it will lead to new opportunities and important lines on your resume.

You always hear people talk about the power of who you know, as explained in our last post. You may know someone who can get you the job you want; however, you need to have the skills and knowledge to keep that position. If you are unemployed or trying to find that new job, explore opportunities to improve your skills and build your resume.

Going Back to School

Although masters programs can be expensive, explore your options through public institutions, financial aid and grants. Individual courses, both online and at community colleges, are also extremely beneficial, building your list of skills on your resume. For example, if you are in the creative industry, take extra courses in a different web design platform to add skills to your resume and elements to your portfolio. Actively pursuing education adds to that section, while specific courses can better your specialties and skills section.

Joining Professional Organizations

Become an active member of a professional organization in your area that focuses on your field. Ask colleagues or other industry professionals what organizations they are members of. Most national organizations have state or local chapters in the major metropolitan areas of the United States. Most organizations also host free events for their members to improve skills, listen to experts and learn about the latest trends.

Professional organizations combine the importance of what you know and who you know. These organizations have internal structures that allow members to staff events, network and lead the organization. Think of opportunities these groups may provide – connecting with your peers, job opportunities for your field and personal mentors. For a list of professional organizations by industry, click here.

A recruiter or a hiring manager may see a professional organization on your resume that they are a part of too. This is a great conversation starter during an interview, and an even better outlet to stay in touch with each other after it.

Volunteering for Nonprofits

“Experience” doesn’t have to be a paid job. It can be a volunteer position or an internship. The experience section of a resume is to demonstrate your positions, not your salaries.

Many nonprofits need help from professionals – from accountants to marketers – but often do not have the funds to pay for the experts. Volunteer your services to a local nonprofit. This adds more lines to your experience on your resume and shows that you are taking an active role in your career.

Taking It a Step Further

A resume is only one part of your job search. You can show all these elements of your resume on your social media. Show what you know on Twitter, show who you know on LinkedIn, and bring it all together on your personal website.

As you learned in the last WYP post, salary negotiations are an important and vital step in the hiring process. However, many companies have been rocked by this recession. Understanding a company’s financial status today can help you position yourself for salary negotiations.

Company Profiling

Do some research about how the recession has really affected your future employer. Of course, it is much easier to find this information about publically traded and larger companies; however, use local resources, like business journals, to paint a picture of the company. Find out where the company was at the beginning for the recession in comparison to where it currently stands.

Don’t just focus on the profit margins. Other key factors include number of employees, number of locations, and changes in the management team. Not all positions in a company will be affected equally. For example, sales people are usually the last people to be laid off because they generate revenue. Find out how these factors have changed since the market downfall. The more information you can find out, the better. By understanding where the company stands, you will know what you can ask for today and how your salary may be affected in the future.

Understand the Industry & Competitive Landscape

While a company may not be back to pre-recession activity and profits, the industry may be showing signs of stability and recovery. Trade journals will have industry reports and forecasting. Industry indicators will help to get a good impression about how the industry is reacting to economic drivers.

You can’t ignore the competition and neither can employers. If you understand what the competition is paying its employees, you can use this in your negotiations. Use this cautiously though. Make sure to draw comparisons from competitors of a similar size, location and structure.

Let’s face it – you won’t be unemployed forever. Whether you’re straight out of school or looking for a new position, you will land a new job. Learn how to negotiate salary, benefits and other points before you start that job.

Salary – Understand What You’re Worth

A standard rule is to avoid discussing salary until after you have aced the interview and landed the job. However, some companies ask that you send your salary requirements along with your resume and cover letter. How do you address this without overshooting or undershooting what you are really worth?

1. Research industry standards. The Bureau of Labor Statistics and trade publications list the average salaries for different positions. Understand that there is some variance because of geographic location and company status. For example, PayScale.com allows you to search for a target position in a target city, like Boston.

2. Be aware of the economy. While there are some signs that the economy is improving, many companies are still making up for the hard losses over the past few years and rebuilding what was damaged. A recent post on the Boston Jobs Blog points out the importance of not selling yourself short, explaining that, “The economy is defined by fluctuations, but don’t undersell yourself because you think a company might not have the resources to pay you what you are worth.”

3. Highlight your experience. Experience is what sets you apart from the crowd. If you have it, use it to your advantage. If experience is what got you the job, use it to get the salary you want and deserve.

4. Go for the extras. A dollar figure isn’t the only thing to think about anymore. Health care plans, for you and other family members, 401Ks, travel reimbursements and expense accounts are all other things to think about when discussing compensation. All these extras can save you thousands of dollars a year and give you a great state of mind.

Generation Y – the offspring of the Baby Boomers, usually described as people within the ages of 18-30 – are the drivers beyond social media. Most spend hours reading blogs and online news sources, and using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn everyday. This connectivity makes Gen Y crave instantaneous information and constant updates.

Gen Y has also learned to utilize these mediums for their benefits. It goes beyond using Facebook to connect with friends and post drunken pictures. In fact, this generation of users is also the most conscious of how social media can hurt you during a job search or a career. They have learned to leverage social media – blogging, connecting with professionals on Twitter and LinkedIn and wisely using Facebook.

Dan Schawbel, a prominent Gen-Yer and personal branding expert points out, “Social media is a career catalyst…it lets you accomplish a lifetime’s worth of work in a short period of time.”

What You Can Learn from Gen Y

• Be cautious – Know who can see what and the impact it may have on you.
• Build your social networks before you need them.
• Do not post information more than 24 hours old.
• Create community and add value.
• Understand that different social media tools are for different audiences.
• Dedicate time to social media – an hour a day at least – to build your online presence.
• Increase your knowledge by reading industry and company blogs and add your thoughts to enrich discussion.

Apply This to Your Job Search

The most important advantage Gen Y has in social media over other generations of users is that they are already connected before they need to access these tools for their job searches. Start building your networks now by adding value, sharking your knowledge and building community.