Posted on May 6th, 2013 by Anna Kennedy.
Dear College Graduates
New York Times op-ed columnist, Charles M. Blow, addresses this no holds barred "letter" to the graduating class of 2013. And as this year's college graduates - and the years ahead - walk that stage, receive their multi-thousand dollar degree and set forth with the expectations of a promising future, many face the wall of reality.
Keep reading for Charles' insightful and hopeful advice to this year's grads.
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Posted on April 22nd, 2013 by Anna Kennedy.
We've found some great tips for job seekers all over the web, including this blog from FistfulofTalent.com 's Tim Sackett. Here's what he has to say about entry level jobs and the regrets that can plague you later on down the road.
One of the most read blog posts I've written in the last two years is: How To 'Really' Get An Entry Level Job. It's pretty basic, straightforward advice on how I would go about finding an entry level job, if I was just coming out of college.
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Posted on March 12th, 2013 by Anna Kennedy.
Pretty cool, right? It not only looks cool, but this particular infographic can be quite helpful if you find yourself at a standstill upon graduation, or if you could just use some advice from anyone willing to share. And that's why we're here! Source: http://m.pinterest.com/careercenterui/life-after-graduation/ Continue reading post.
Posted on January 29th, 2013 by Mike Freeman.
Posted on January 25th, 2013 by Mike Freeman.
As a kid, I always pictured how growing up would work. I'd go to college, graduate with a degree, marry my sweetheart, and buy a house. What many graudates are finding is that it's just not that simple.
Looking back over the past 40 years, home prices have climbed by a factor of 10. If you read our post about how Entry Level Job Salaries are similar to what they were in the 80's, you'll see the problem here.
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Posted on January 24th, 2013 by Mike Freeman.
Over the past 40 years, many things have changed. How much a movie ticket costs, a gallon of milk, and how much a car is. On the flip side, some things haven't changed quite as much. Like how much you're going to make at your first job.
I remember a conversation I had with my dad right after I graduated college. We were talking about my new job, and how much I was making. He kind of laughed quietly to himself and I asked him "what are you laughing at?" To which he responds "You're making $5,000 more a year than I was at my first job.
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Posted on December 19th, 2012 by Mike Freeman.
Networking your way to an interview.
Getting that interview with the job of your choice can be a daunting task, and it’s made even harder if you don’t know anyone at the place. Getting an entry level job with a company can be tough since many times, many people are vying for the same spot. Let’s look at some things you can do to help make you stand out from the crowd.
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Posted on December 13th, 2012 by Anna Kennedy.
THE WAITING GAME
So now that you’ve applied, sent in your resume equipped with an eye-catching cover letter, (and crossed your fingers), now the waiting game begins. When should I expect to hear back? When should I follow up? These are all questions we find ourselves asking the hiring Gods once we’ve searched and applied. Some employers will keep you updated with the hiring process, while others may never contact you.
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Posted on December 4th, 2012 by Anna Kennedy.
We know – it’s a little scary out there. Okay, a LOT scary.
But embarking on that first leg of the epic journey that is “The Job Search” – post graduation and all - doesn’t have to be so daunting. With careful attention and unwavering dedication, the commitment to a successful job search can be incredibly rewarding! With that said, we’re delighted to share some insightful tips on conducting a more successful job search.
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Posted on November 5th, 2012 by .
Well folks, the 2012 presidential election is upon us. On Tuesday, millions of Americans will cast their ballots for Obama, Romney, and their VP candidates/sidekicks. However, many of us will not be voting so much for a person as we will be voting for an issue -- and for many Americans, the most important issues are jobs and the economy.
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Posted on October 12th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
What are you doing to stand out? We are always on alert for the best new ideas that are getting people noticed in today's crowded job market - anything from websites to standing on the side of the road with a cardboard sign (we don't recommend that one). Sometimes we find resumes that are just too awesome to keep to ourselves, so we share them with you here, in "Real Resumes.
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Posted on October 10th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
"Who's got two thumbs and knows they're awesome? THIS GUY."
"I don't know where to start or where to begin, man." So says a character in a standup bit by comic Patton Oswalt. Many job-seekers feel this way in the beginning, or when looking to make a career change, and that's understandable. When confronted with a big question like "What do I want to be when I grow up?" it can feel like you need to find a big answer.
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Posted on October 5th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
At Gradspring, we're passionate about keeping up with the latest trends in the world of recent college grads. We want to know who's getting jobs, who's not, and who's coming up with new ideas. When we find something that we just have to share, we add our commentary and post it here, as "Food for Thought.
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Posted on October 1st, 2012 by Sean Clem.
What are you doing to stand out? We are always on alert for the best new ideas that are getting people noticed in today's crowded job market – anything from websites to standing on the side of the road with a cardboard sign (we don't recommend that one). Sometimes we find resumes that are just too awesome to keep to ourselves, so we share them with you here, in "Real Resumes.
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Posted on September 11th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
At Gradspring, we're passionate about keeping up with the latest trends in the world of recent college grads. We want to know who's getting jobs, who's not, and who's coming up with new ideas. When we find something that we just have to share, we add our commentary and post it here, as "Food for Thought."
Be flexible, like these worms that look like paintbrushes.
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Posted on September 4th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
What are you doing to stand out? We are always on alert for the best new ideas that are getting people noticed in today's crowded job market - anything from websites to standing on the side of the road with a cardboard sign (we don't recommend that one). Sometimes we find resumes that are just too awesome to keep to ourselves, so we share them with you here, in "Real Resumes.
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Posted on August 27th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
At Gradspring, we're passionate about keeping up with the latest trends in the world of recent college grads. We want to know who's getting jobs, who's not, and who's coming up with new ideas. When we find something that we just have to share, we add our commentary and post it here, as "Food for Thought."
26 year-old Eric Auld has a Master's Degree in English, and like many of you, he has been looking for a full-time job to get his career off the ground.
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Posted on August 8th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
I thought it might be interesting for readers to be able to put a face, or in this case several faces, on the Gradspring name. Our pictures and brief bios are featured on our website, but that doesn't offer much insight into who we are, how we became part of the Gradspring team, and what it's like to work in our office.
I begin with our esteemed founder and leader, Sean Clem.
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Posted on July 26th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
So you just graduated from college (or worse, you paid for someone's college education . . mom, dad, I'm talking to you). And now, no matter how hard you try, the professional world feels as elusive as ever. It does help to remember you are not alone. Unemployment for recent college graduates is at an all-time high: 13.7 percent. Pair this statistic with the number of college graduates who are baristas at Starbucks or servers at Chili's, and the number jumps to a little over 50 percent.
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Posted on June 15th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
So you've just graduated -- degree in hand, resume loaded -- and you're ready to begin the desperately hopeful task of job-hunting. But where to start?
Like every other job seeker, you head straight to the internet. Ahh, the almighty search engine awaits. The usual process begins with a general search for jobs in your area, most likely within your field of study, yielding hundreds upon thousands of results.
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Posted on June 9th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
Your new college graduate has moved back home, diploma in hand, ready for that first professional opportunity. What are the most important things to remember as parents of a 2012 graduate entering today's frightening world of high unemployment?
None of the following recommendations will come as a surprise to anyone:
Maintain a positive attitude, encourage your graduate to approach the job search as a job itself, and ensure that they utilize all available networks.
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Posted on June 1st, 2012 by Sean Clem.
For many recent graduates, time spent in post-grad/pre-job limbo may feel like an exasperating battle. You have the diploma, the résumé, and an extensive list of jobs that matches your skill set, so where's your paycheck? In a way, impressive credentials and zeal are nothing more than prerequisites for the real test: the personal interaction. An employer looks to add workers that complement the current culture at the company, and in order to fit in at the firm, you first must dress the part.
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Posted on April 24th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
Gradspring offers recent college graduates access to screened, legitimate entry-level professional opportunities.
Nashville, TN April 24, 2012
Gradspring seeks to solve the ultimate "catch 22" for new graduates entering the work force: how to get a foot in the door when every advertised opportunity seems to require experience. Gradspring addresses the sour economy's profound effect on entry-level college seniors and recent graduates.
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Posted on April 9th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
Gradspring Partners with the Professional Fraternity Association
NASHVILLE, TN: April 9th, 2012
Gradspring.com, a leader in providing access to entry-level professional job opportunities for recent graduates, and the Professional Fraternity Association, an association of national collegiate fraternities, announced a partnership to offer Gradspring subscriptions to college seniors and recently graduated PFA members.
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Posted on March 20th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
The Onion ? America?s Number one Source for SATIRICAL News Explains
Report: Unemployment High Because People Keep Blowing Their Job Interviews
WASHINGTON- With unemployment at its highest level in decades, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a report Tuesday suggesting the crisis is primarily the result of millions of Americans just completely blowing their job interviews.
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Posted on March 16th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
SALARIES ARE UP, UP, UP FOR RECENT GRADUATES
After the last few years of nothing but abysmal news for entry-level professional job seekers, finally, some good news comes down the pipeline. Salaries are UP for the first time in years! As to be expected, science and tech graduates can expect to earn the most for their first job: roughly $65k per year.
However, even humanities and liberal arts degree holders are capturing more cash in the marketplace.
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Posted on March 13th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
"..Harvard Grads Working in the Mailroom"
Recent graduates often despair that their first job is not quite what they thought it would be; that poster Justification for Higher Education promised a beach house and exotic cars and dammit we all believed it! Well Gradspringers, I have some news for you. To get to the top of the career mountain you have to start at the bottom; sad, but true.
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Posted on March 5th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
What is a Campus Brand Ambassador Program?
Ambassadors will be selected from 150 top colleges in the United States to be an integral part of an extraordinary nationwide campaign aimed at spreading awareness and excitement around Gradspring. Through positive buzz, engaging campus events, and social networking activities, Ambassadors will enthusiastically promote Gradspring. If you consider yourself a social media guru, are well connected on campus, and eager to learn about marketing, we are looking for you! Campus brand ambassadors will be expected to:
Promote, plan, and execute promotional activities on campus
Increase brand awareness and purchase consideration
Network on and offline to spread the word to your peers
Work fifteen hours per week
What's in it for you?
In addition to taking your college experience to the next level, Gradspring CBAs will walk away with an incredible resume building experience to jump start their careers.
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Posted on February 28th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
They SAY: "Now hiring, a self-starter with entrepreneurial drive for this venture backed start-up. Must possess drive, willingness to multi-task, and appreciate working in a fast paced environment." They MEAN: The go-go early 2000's are over. We begged borrowed or stole enough money to get this thing off the ground. Resources are scarce both in money and in people.
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Posted on February 22nd, 2012 by Sean Clem.
Gradspring Announces NIC Partnership
Nashville, TN - February 21st, 2012 - Gradspring and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) began a venture today to support graduates as they search for entry-level professional opportunities. Recent and upcoming NIC fraternity member graduates now can access entry-level job opportunities from some of the world's top employers such as The Walt Disney Company, Northrop Grumman, National Hot Rod Association, Tickets.
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Posted on February 3rd, 2012 by Sean Clem.
After recently reading an article, it became very clear that social media/networking sites are one of the main sources companies use when deciding on a candidate to interview or even hire.
Comments, pictures, statuses or any post on the social media sites are being looked at by more people than you think. It is crucial to clean up your social media pages and take down anything that would misrepresent the type of candidate you are.
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Posted on January 30th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
Free recruiting service connects top companies to recent graduates.
NASHVILLE, Tennessee - January 26, 2012 - Gradspring, a free tool for the HR community, announced the West Coast regional launch of their new career resource service today. Gradspring caters to top companies, providing connections to a qualified pool of enthusiastic entry-level professionals.
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Posted on January 26th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
Hello readers. I am so glad to finally see, in print, from a reputable source, what I have been saying for years. Resumes suck.
They suck for a number of reasons: lack of depth, the cheesy way we tout our skills and accomplishments, and most importantly a resume does not tell the narrative of YOU. You are a unique individual with a story to tell. You can't tell that story on a single sheet of paper.
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Posted on January 9th, 2012 by Sean Clem.
In my previous blogs, I have written from the perspective of a parent of recent college graduates and a new employee of Gradspring.com. I am still that person, but would like to direct this message more to the recruiters I have been working to reach since I began my job here this past fall. In beginning my job here at Gradspring, I have launched my own new career after teaching high school for twenty-seven years.
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Posted on December 28th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Many With New College Degree Find the Job Market Humbling - New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/business/economy/19grads.html This article from the New York Times validates what many of you already know, finding a job in today's hyper-competitive market without experience or family connections can be DAUNTING. That is why we created Gradspring! Improve your chances of finding a job IN YOUR FIELD by searching our database of per-qualified, quality assured entry-level professional jobs.
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Posted on November 16th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Hi there recruiters. If you are reading this blog for the first time welcome and allow me to introduce you to Gradspring! If you have been here before, welcome back. I thought I would use this week's blog to reach out to recruiters and HR professionals to explain what Gradspring is all about and why you should be using Gradspring to reach entry level professional candidates. Gradspring is dedicated to helping recent college graduates with very limited professional experience find their first career opportunity.
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Posted on November 16th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Attire for an Impressive Interview
What you wear on your interview is crucial, not because the employer is judging your fashion sense or how much you can spend on clothing, but because the employer will notice how you present yourself. Your attire can show your employer at first glance that you are confident you are the perfect candidate for the position, that you put forth your best effort and take pride in everything you do, and that you will represent the company professionally.
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Posted on November 16th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Mickey Mantle said, "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."
I don' know if he was only talking about his body, his budget or both his body and budget. As a recent graduate, you know what it is like to live on a budget. I have seen so many people stop paying attention to their budget because as soon as they get a "real job.
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Posted on November 16th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Help for Parents of Recent College Graduates
You have welcomed her home, of course with the clear understanding that being in the bosom of her family again is a temporary arrangement. You have helped her acquire the needed wardrobe to go out there and put her best foot forward in her hopefully upcoming interviews. So what is the next step on your journey to guide and support your college graduate as you nurture and nudge at the same time? Let's talk NETWORKING.
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Posted on October 31st, 2011 by Sean Clem.
I started Gradspring when I found out that recent grads were having a hell of a time connecting with employers in any meaningful way. And I wanted to do something about it. When our Gradspring team settled on a business-model that allows companies to post jobs for free, we knew that some would question that decision. Students, recent graduates and young professionals want to know - why charge them and not the prospective employer? Isn't that backwards?
Ultimately, we at Gradspring decided that our model will work to a job seeker's advantage.
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Posted on October 31st, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Let's talk about the Superman cape. Remember when your child wanted to wear his latest superhero's cape to school, and you had to explain why it might not be the best choice from his closet? He may need your help again as he prepares for those first real job interviews.
I actually had to ask my son if he really thought the wrinkled khakis, sneakers, and shirt tail hanging out was the best look for his first job interview after graduating from college.
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Posted on September 14th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Welcome To Gradspring - From the CEO
Hi there. If you are reading this blog you are probably in the same boat as many recent college graduates; you spent four years doing what your parents said would ensure your future. You studied hard, made good grades, volunteered and maybe even landed the perfect internship. Why then, after graduation, are you still working retail or waiting tables? Where is your perfect professional job? At Gradspring, we understand your frustration with the job market.
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Posted on September 12th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Many With New College Degree Find the Job Market Humbling
Published: May 18, 2011
Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/business/economy/19grads.html?_r=1
--The individual stories are familiar. The chemistry major tending bar. The classics major answering phones. The Italian studies major sweeping aisles at Wal-Mart.
Now evidence is emerging that the damage wrought by the sour economy is more widespread than just a few careers led astray or postponed.
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Posted on September 12th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Tight job market for college grads
Published: June 4, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2011/06/04/Tight-job-market-for-college-grads/UPI-46051307204322/#ixzz1Xm3F5xkP
--- For anxious graduates, a study done by the University of Minnesota suggests the best way to get ahead of the pack is to start job searches nine months before graduation.The success rate among graduates who began that early was 57 percent, the survey found, the St.
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Posted on August 25th, 2011 by Sean Clem.
Recruiters: Gradspring's HR portal is now live so now you can start posting jobs for FREE. We know you get flooded with candidates for entry-level positions, so take advantage of Gradspring's custom filter that helps recruiters survive the deluge. You can set the parameters for the types of resumes you want to receive and we'll send only the candidates that meet your criteria to you.
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Sean Clem
Mike Freeman
Anna Kennedy
Martha Ressler