Why can't millennials find jobs?

[Professor]

Good one, Non.

Which brings up another point. We've all heard "it's not who you know, but what you know". Wrong, kind of. What you know will certainly help you become successful at a job. But, getting a job is easily as much about who you know. You cannot get a job if the offeror doesn't know you. So many people have outstanding resumes, and they are innudated with hundreds of resumes for every job due to online postings, that it's almost impossible to make yourself stand out if you don't have an "in". In fact, I don't even apply for jobs if I don't have that "in".

Take Bobby Jindal, for instance. Not his politics, but his career. It all started way back when Jindal was just another young intern for Representative Jim McCreary. He was a young kid (20s) who was brilliant, but didn't "know" people. So, he spent something like 2 weeks studying Medicare policy and presented a paper to his boss on how to reform the system. It was an insightful paper. But, again, him being smart and having good ideas meant very little. What really propelled him was that his boss gave the paper to Governor Mike Foster, who was so impressed that he nominated Jindal for Secretary of Department of Health and Hospitals. He parlayed that job into his current success.

My point is that you need to get out there and meet people. And, I don't mean "network" on networking sites or just go to functions. I mean really get out there and meet people. When you go to a mixer for a professional organization, you need to leave with at least 2 lunch appointments with people who can further your career. Find a company you want to work for. See who their CEO is. Find out the organizations that he is a member of. Then go to those organizations and seek him out. If you can make a good impression on him/her, then chances are fair that you will be able to translate that into a job, even if the CEO has to create one for you.

Just be prepared to deliver!

[eynon81]

[Winchester]

[eynon81]

[eynon81]

[Professor]

Oh, and I think that we're all forgetting the biggest factor in all this. Luck. And, no, I don't mean the kind where something is purely left up to chance.

Someone said that luck was merely being prepared to grab an opportunity when one presents itself.

Was I "lucky" that I joined a company 8 months before we landed the 2nd-largest disaster relief contract in US history? Some may say, "yes". But, I have been preparing for this for years. I have public policy experience (helpful when dealing with governmental regulations). I have business experience (helpful when upscaling from 6 employees to 750+ in 6 weeks). I was comfortable with my co-workers, and they with me.

So, while it was pure chance that the weather decimated a shoreline area, the fact that I was able to grasp that opportunity and run with it was anything but "luck".

Again, my point is that you need to be prepared.

[Stratego]

[eynon81]

[Professor]

[eynon81]