Q: Dear Charlotte,
Do you have any advice for a student about to graduate in May in this horrific economic climate? I fear I won’t find a job, won’t get health insurance, and I fear, well, loneliness and a lack of support. Thank you!
Soon to be Grad
A: Dear New Grad,
This economic climate can certainly be frightening. I don’t know what your career area is but I would advise three things: network, network, network! In this type of climate your contacts are probably going to be the best way of finding a job. Even people who are not in your field are a possible source for a job lead so do not leave anyone out; faculty, alumni, volunteer groups, family members are all sources to contact. The other step if you have not done this yet is to find people who have jobs you think you would like and ask to meet with them for informational interviews. Ask them what steps they went through to get their job and then follow those steps. In addition, the federal stimulus package has a lot of grant opportunities. These will be temporary jobs but agencies and universities will need to be hiring to staff these grants and it is a way to get in the door and get some good experience. The final advice I have is to remain open to opportunities you may not have thought of before. I once interviewed for a job in an agency I knew I would not like but got a contact from that interview which led me to a great job.
Best wishes with your job search and future career.
Charlotte
To ask Charlotte a question about relationships, work, or life in general, email us at irissubmissions@gmail.com, subject line: Ask Charlotte.
Charlotte Chapman is the Director of Counseling Services at the Women’s Center. Charlotte is a licensed professional counselor and a licensed substance abuse treatment provider. She has her Masters Degree in Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. Charlotte is adjunct faculty in the Rehabilitation Counseling program at VCU.
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