Turn today’s job posting into tomorrow’s job offer

Many graduating Newhouse students feel as though they need to start applying to jobs at the start of spring semester (or even earlier!). This is usually because of family pressure or because their friends and peers who are enrolled in other SU schools and colleges are doing so.

This is a great time for a reminder that the communications industry’s hiring timeline is largely completely different than those of other industries!

By and large, most communications jobs advertised that are being posted now want someone NOW. The only exception is if a job leads says “job doesn’t begin until June 1,” or otherwise notes that it is for this year’s graduates, which you’ll rarely see in this business.

Applying to job openings when you’re not a viable candidate, not only wastes people’s time, it clearly demonstrates you do not understand how this industry works. However, this doesn’t mean job postings are completely useless to this year’s graduating class! If you come across a job posting and you like what you see, the company may be a good fit for your target list (not sure what that is? Come to the CDC’s Job Hunt Series!). Instead of applying to the job, a tremendously productive use of your time will be to reach out and network with individuals who are currently working there.

In this industry it’s never a matter of IF there are openings, it’s a matter of WHEN. The odds of a company of interest having a job opening in June or during the summer are good, so if you invest the time and effort now develop networking relationships and then keep in touch, you will be a “known candidate.”

Being a known candidate means you’re not just another resume sent in via LinkedIn or job posting board, and that someone “on the inside” knows and can vouch for you. This advantage is what ends up getting many of our graduates their first (and second. And third…) job.

So work smart now during the job search: use job leads as target list leads, then networking leads, and reap the benefit of being a known candidate at all of your companies of interest! If you want additional help with your networking efforts, don’t hesitate to set up an appointment to meet with someone from the Newhouse Career Development Center. Visit Handshake, then click on “career center” to be walked through the process of setting up an appointment.