Will Work for Experience

By Ruby Churchill

Now that you’re a college graduate, you have to find a job.

Photo/Kia Flack

Congratulations, you’ve graduated college. You now have a piece of paper that says you know things. Unfortunately, most employers are now looking for a piece of paper plus five years of experience, six certifications, and a willingness to work weekends and nights. Getting a job after college is a rite of passage, right up there with caf dinners and watching movies in the dorm lobbies.

First things first: take a moment to panic (briefly). Lie face-down on the floor and contemplate becoming a travel influencer, dog walker, or mushroom forager. Let that existential dread wash over you. After that, it’s time to get to work.

Let’s start with your resume. Use your college activities to build up your experience. If you help set up a campus event, took pictures at a football game, or participated in a club, write about it as professional experience. Try to demonstrate that you can function in a work environment. Don’t include a picture of yourself on your resume, and use specific action verbs like “improved,” “created,” “increased,” or “accomplished.” Also, use as many numbers as you can. For example, you didn’t take notes on Zoom, you organized and documented 30+ council meetings. Further, tailor your resume to the jobs that you apply to. There are plenty of free resources that offer resume and job help, including O2 Employment Services. Think of them as LinkedIn’s more personal, less corporate cousin.

Speaking of which, LinkedIn, the weird hybrid of corporate Facebook and career cosplay, is another great resource. Make an account and copy your resume bullet points. Update your profile like you’re gunning for CEO—even if you’re just trying to land an entry-level marketing job. Use keywords, add a decent headshot, and don’t forget that green “Open to Work” banner. LinkedIn is where you’ll find job postings, recruiter connections, and brags from that guy who “failed forward into a leadership role.”

Now for the actual hunt: Indeed.com and other websites like it are your friends. Glassdoor is for great information on pay, and sites like We Work Remotely are perfect if you want to work from your bed. Set up job alerts, apply broadly, and try not to cry when you get ghosted after a three-hour personality test and two interviews. For a more human, less chaotic experience, circle back to O2 Employment Services—they specialize in helping people actually land jobs, not just collect rejection emails.

When you do get an interview, it’s time to polish your performance. Be ready for those classic curveball questions like “Tell us about a time you faced a challenge.” Try to sound honest, capable, and like someone they wouldn’t hate to sit next to in a meeting. The goal is to authentically lie your way into sounding experienced—even if the only conflict you’ve resolved recently involved a roommate and a dirty dish.

After the interview, don’t forget to follow up. A quick thank-you email is standard and classy. A LinkedIn message is bold. Showing up with baked goods? Too much. Unless, of course, they specifically mentioned a love for chocolate chip cookies—then maybe.

Remember that job searching may not be what you expect. You may be unemployed for six months, or something may fall into your lap. You may end up in an industry you never expected, and you may absolutely love it. At the end of the day, job hunting after college feels like trying to win a game where no one gave you the rules, and the rules keep changing. But you’ve got this. Whether you find your dream gig on Indeed, connect with someone on LinkedIn, or get matched through a hands-on service like O2 Employment Services, the right opportunity will come. Remember—you're not “unemployed,” you're just “between opportunities.”