Seek and you shall find your career

Paul Carpino[Ed. note: This belongs to our series of posts featuring tips for recent grads from LinkedIn users. Paul Carpino is Employer Outreach and Internship Coordinator at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. His ten year career in the Hospitality Industry includes management, production supervision, concept and menu design, along with creating the food service program for one of the largest athletic clubs in the nation.]

How do I use the power LinkedIn? Let me count the ways!  When you return from an event/mixer with business cards, quickly invite your contacts to join your LinkedIn Network. After returning from an interview, invite the interviewer to join your network. Read a good book or just returned from an awesome event? Post it through the “Updates” feature.

Students and recent grads, the “New Job Seekers” are using new, creative strategies to find jobs and launch their careers.  Here is a brief guide to help you expand your reach, build your network and seek out that new job:

1. Invest in professional looking business cards and create a title such as, “Entry-Level Candidate, Human Resources” or “Management Candidate, Hospitality.”

2. Include phone and email, physical address is not needed. Leave your cards with contacts, stuff them in your bill-payment return envelopes. Give them to friends / family to hand out for you.

3. Send an announcement email to the appropriate connections your contact database informing them what job you are looking for or update your LinkedIn status.

4. Be flexible to taking a position related-to, but not exactly in your career field: Hospitality goes to Theme Parks, Office Building Concierge or Fast Service Food.  Finance / Accounting / Management goes to Federal Government or Non-Profits.

Check out the rest of our posts featuring tips for graduating students here