Starting at the bottom

- In a recession, it can feel like there are no jobs around. And when you're looking for a job right outta school, it can feel the same way because even if there are jobs, it may be a lot tougher to get one because you lack industry knowledge and you lack a network. This is what it means to start at the bottom. Bottom's a fine place to be from but it's not a great place to be. There are four things you can do to get your job search going quickly. First, figure out what you do and don't want to do. Second, research different sectors. Third, upskill if necessary. Fourth, leverage your network. The first you need to do, really, is to figure out what you do and don't want to do. Think of your career as a block of marble and before it can become a master sculpture, you have to start knocking off chunks of rock. A great way to do this is to take a Myers-Briggs or other personality test that helps you think about what job you might be good at. There's also a great book about this called Do What You Are. Once you know what you want to do and what you don't want to do, you're ready for step two. Research different sectors and look at reports about growing workforce needs. You can find this information in reports produced by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. For example, here are job growth areas that are expected through 2024. As you can see, some of the hottest growth areas include healthcare, which is also a recession proof industry. But there are other areas adding jobs as well. Maybe one of those fields fits into what you'd like to do next. And in a growing field, it's a lot easier to find a job even for recent graduates. And even during a recession. Growing fields tend to be less picky when hiring because at some point, companies just need butts in seats. The third thing you might need to do is to upskill. Now upskilling doesn't mean that you need to do an entire master's degree to get the skills that you need to land the job you want. It might be as simple as taking some online courses or getting a certificate from a community college. That might be enough to get you hired. Often right out of school, a degree isn't enough to land the job you want. But if you're looking at a growing field, the minimum level of acceptable skills may be lower because the need for people is very high. The fourth and final thing you'll need to do is to improve your job prospects by leveraging your network. If you're an experienced professional, you likely have other professionals to reach out to about a job. But if you're a recent graduate, this is often the toughest challenge because to get a job, you often need someone's help or someone to vouch for you. There's nothing wrong with asking someone you know to help you find a job. You should tell everyone. Family, friends, literally everyone. This is particularly critical to find your first significant job out of school. When I was young, I honestly thought this was distasteful. I was so wrong. When you need a job, you need a job. If you don't ask for a job, you certainly won't get one. So do what I did when I interviewed at the investment bank that eventually hired me right outta grad school. Ask for the job, politely of course, may I have this job. It worked for me, it might work for you.