Career & Job Search Advice

This week, we are officially launching free access for graduating seniors impacted by the COVID-19 crisis to our Avenica Pathways program – a career development program for college students that leverages expert assessment, coaching, and job readiness training to drastically impact the marketability of entry-level talent. We’ve taken Avenica’s signature candidate experience and curated it for the anxious college senior in an easy-to-use online experience. Again, this program is now free! Did I mention it was free?

There were a million reasons for us to do this – we understand that college seniors are experiencing extra anxiety, we feel that we have a moral obligation to help however we can in a crisis, we know pocketbooks are extra tight – the list goes on. But in many ways, this program feels personal. Current pandemic aside, we know the plight of being a college senior who doesn’t know what they’re doing after graduation.

We were them.

In 2010, I was a senior at the University of Texas at Austin – a campus of 50,000 and home of the diehard Texas Longhorns. I was in the English Honors program and had my sights set on graduating. Over the years, I had toyed with a number of ideas – entering academia, becoming a lawyer, covering the Arab Spring as a rogue journalist – but nothing held firm. I ended up staying a fifth year after being elected Student Body Vice President. It gave me time to add on a second BA, this time in Women’s and Gender Studies, and also gave me the incredible experience of being a student leader on a huge campus. But it also had the adverse effect of delaying the inevitable.

So in my super senior year, I was juggling an honors thesis, student government responsibilities, and LSAT prep classes. I was busy but unfocused, and if I’m being really honest, I think that was by design. As May loomed closer and the high from student leadership was wearing off, I was running out of time and ideas. I applied to Teach for America and freaked out at their offer to be placed in Tulsa, OK. I didn’t do as well on the LSAT as I’d hoped. (I mean, how could I have been surprised with all the roadblocks I’d created for myself?)

Look – I’m going to pause right here to say I know, I was a big nerd in school. And I had the luxury of being able to even consider different options, even if I failed at them. But today’s reality of frozen pipelines and rescinded offers is a stark contrast. I’m getting there.

So, May came and went. I moved back to my hometown of Houston and started working on a mayoral campaign. I realized city politics wasn’t for me. I tried my hand at technical writing. The lack of human interaction left me wanting more. Through good friendship and fortune, I landed an entry-level management consulting role at global giant Accenture. I felt like I’d finally hit my stride – I was constantly surrounded by people, I was challenged by my work, and I enjoyed the structured learning process and career path.

The rest, as they say, is history – or at least, it’s documented in my bio on the Avenica leadership page. But the importance of my time in consulting is that it gave me the gift of knowing more about myself: what motivated me, how I preferred to learn, how I preferred to work, my strengths as a teammate, my weaknesses with detail-oriented tasks, and much more.

I realized this: self-awareness is the key to finding the right job.

Today’s market is unlike anything we have ever seen. I was a scared and confused college senior during a “normal” time, and I can’t even begin to imagine what today’s seniors must be feeling. We are seeing record unemployment, corporate layoffs, and frozen or rescinded offers. There are so many things we can’t control. But here’s the good news – the one thing you can control is you.

I’m so proud of our Pathways program because it provides deep insights into a student’s existing potential and abilities. Being equipped with self-awareness and the tools to harness your gifts is a potent combination for job hunting at any level and in any economy. You have to know yourself to effectively sell yourself and convince an organization that you are uniquely suited for their team.

I can’t wait to help the class of 2020 see themselves as the amazing talent we already know they will be.

To register or learn more about Avenica Pathways, click HERE.
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About Avenica

Through conversation, high-impact coaching, and best-in-class support, we translate and meet the needs of our client partners by identifying and transforming potential into high-performing professionals. At Avenica, we are working from the inside out to embrace diverse thought and perspectives while actively working to dismantle systems of oppression and implicit bias. With a deeply-held belief in human potential, we transform lives and enable organizations to achieve new heights.

If you’re interested in partnering with us to develop or hire your workforce, let’s talk. If you’re a job seeker, please apply now to connect with an Avenica Account Manager.

It’s possible that you’ve managed to make it all this way in life without joining a single social media platform, but for the other almost 90% of you social media participants, ask yourself these questions: what would someone see if they searched for you online, and could what they find hurt your chances at getting a job?

It’s with hope that each candidate a company hires, not only can fulfill the duties of the position, but helps to further solidify their culture and fulfill their company mission. As such, you as a job seeker should assume you will be fully vetted to ensure you’re fit for the position and company. That absolutely means they’ll be Googling you and creeping on your social media. Assuming we’re all fully aware of the negative effects inappropriate language and photos can have, as well as, discriminatory comments about race, religion, gender, etc., let’s discuss how social media can actually help you in your job search efforts.

For most people, social media is far more than just a way to stay connected with friends and family. It’s an extension of your personal brand, and, because it’s your own curated content of thoughts, words, and photos, it reflects the way you want to be represented and seen. So why wouldn’t you make every effort to make yourself look good?

Google yourself

What pops up in association with your name will influence what people think about you. To know what others will see and get a comprehensive overview of your online presence, simply Google yourself. There’s content out there that you do have control over, so get started with identifying what you can clean up. Obviously if you’ve made a news headline or have a criminal record, you have little to no control over that content, but anything you’ve posted on and from your social media sites, you have ultimate control over. You can either set your social media profiles to private and continue to post freely, or you can remove the content directly from your personal accounts you wouldn’t want hiring managers and recruiters to see.

Add to your Google results by creating your own website or blog to publish stories, images, videos; becoming a contributor to an existing website or blog; and joining forums or discussion group. Add content to your social media that shows you engaging in good times with friends and family and with your community. Show your personality, lifestyle, hobbies, and interests in fun, positive ways so hiring decision makers get a sense of how you’ll fit into the company.

Move beyond building a network

If you haven’t already, get on LinkedIn. Keep your profile updated, search available opportunities in “jobs”, and build your network. But go beyond basic, get engaged and be an active participant. Build your professional brand by sharing articles that speak to the kind of professional you are and want to be, and show potential employers/peepers your unique perspective through professional, thoughtful commentary. Consider the content you share carefully and know that you will be judged—positively or negatively—on it. Just make sure it’s an accurate representation of the person and professional you truly are.

Now back to those of you who haven’t taken the plunge, what do you think your absence says to recruiters and hiring managers? For good or bad, it allows others to make and pass their own judgements. They could be positive impressions—this person prioritizes and values true interaction and connection and that’s why they’ve stayed away. But they could also be negative—this person is antisocial, has something to hide, or can’t go with the flow and has to go against the grain (could be seen as positive or negative). Obviously, you have to make the choice for yourself, but more and more, people are taking to online research before making hiring decisions. If you can control your own narrative and online reputation—for the most part—you should do so in a way that puts you in the best possible light.

These efforts can take time. If you’re still a college student, start now so you have a robust online presence by the time you’re ready to begin your job search. But it’s truly never too late. No matter where you are in your career, you should always monitor and make improvements. As with your resume, your online presence is like a living document that develops, evolves, and grows as you do.

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About Avenica

Through conversation, high-impact coaching, and best-in-class support, we translate and meet the needs of our client partners by identifying and transforming potential into high-performing professionals. At Avenica, we are working from the inside out to embrace diverse thought and perspectives while actively working to dismantle systems of oppression and implicit bias. With a deeply-held belief in human potential, we transform lives and enable organizations to achieve new heights.

If you’re interested in partnering with us to develop or hire your workforce, let’s talk. If you’re a job seeker, please apply now!