There’s good news for students who are about to graduate but who have not yet found a job. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers 2017 Job Outlook, employers indicate plans to hire 5.8 percent more new graduates during 2016–17 than they did in 2015–16 for their U.S. operations.

“There are jobs available. However, the reality is that the majority of jobs are never posted,” said Career Center Career Advisor Mark Fauble.

There are several ways soon-to-be alumni can expedite the job search:

  1. Join online communities utilizing social networking sites. LinkedIn is designed to help make connections for job seekers. Many employers have a social media presence and use social networks to search for candidates. In fact, LinkedIn allows you to choose to be notified about positions that you might have qualifications for based on your profile.
  2. Don’t keep your job search to yourself. Let people know that you are looking for a job, especially family, friends, former colleagues or students. The more people who know, the better.
  3. Meet with your career advisor to get job search tips and strategies to help you be successful.
  4. Join your Redbird alumni networks. Attend upcoming events and participate in their programs. You’ll network with other professionals who might be able to point you to possible contacts or job leads.
  5. Use Hire-A-Redbird, Illinois State University’s online job vacancy board. After creating a profile, the system will pull-up jobs for which you might qualify. It will also allow you to post a resume into resume books for an employer to find you.
  6. Save the date for Career Center job fairs. As an alum you are able to attend anytime.
  7. Visit the Career Center website. You’ll find resources to help you, including the Career Resource Guide, job search sites, videos, and more.

For job search and other helpful career information, contact the Career Center.