CampusCareerCenter.comYou've graduated! You are ready to take on the world. But you've lined up some job interviews, and the first recruiter you meet wants references. For the past several years school WAS your job! What now?
This is common among recent college graduates. Although many college students work in the summer or part-time during the school year, many others don't. Or if they worked, their jobs may have not related to their fields of study. So what's a newly degreed job seeker with little real work experience supposed to do when asked for references?
First, it's important to understand what recruiters are looking for when recruiting for entry-level positions. Potential! What have you accomplished that demonstrates your potential? Whatever the industry, most entry-level jobs require many of the same qualities and skill sets, including interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills, leadership skills and the ability to work effectively with others.
Recruiters also look for involvement in campus activities. I've been told countless times that, all other things being equal, a recruiter will always offer the job to the student who has been involved in a variety of campus activities over the student who just went back and forth to class for four years. Why? Because being involved suggests the ability to manage one's time more effectively. Holding a position in a club or organization also suggests leadership ability and communication skills. What if you have graduated and never participated in school activities? Find anything! Were you involved with church? Community? Anything positive is helpful! Although keeping your grades up is great, it's not the most important thing to include in your interview. A nice reference from your pastor stating you've lead children's choir, headed up mission trips, or started the church's first softball team says a lot more than a professor saying that you had straight A's.
If you've been a full-time student, what types of references can you give to prospective employers? Professors can be positive. Don't select more than two, and be sure you have a good relationship with them both. As a third reference, pick a faculty advisor or sponsor you've worked with on a campus project, someone who can talk about your organizational and leadership skills, ability to work with others and dependability.
Use someone from the community with whom you worked as a reference. The point is, if you were involved at all -- in class, on campus or in the community -- the basic qualities most employers are looking for will show through. If you've had a summer job or worked during the school year, ask someone you worked closely with to be a reference for you. And it doesn't matter whether or not the job had anything to do with your field of study, because those same basic qualities already mentioned will be the focus of most recruiters' inquiries. While it would be unfair to say recruiters never try to match the degree to the job, it is far from being a hard and fast rule.
Providing references to recruiters can easily be done, even if you've never had a "real" job. Locate the people who can help to demonstrate the qualities that represent your potential, and go for it!
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