Career tips for recent college graduates

Here are tips to help you find a career that is a good match for you:

1. You want to make a difference.
More than 60 percent of 13- to 25-year-olds feel responsible for making a difference in the world, according to research by Cone Inc. and AMP Insights. Look for companies whose values align closely with yours. You may find the most career happiness with companies that support your activism and charitable efforts, and participate in or support charities and issues important to you.

2. You’re not afraid of competition; in fact you crave a challenge and hard work.
Being competitive with themselves and others comes naturally to most college graduates, who want to do their work better and faster than their co-workers, research by NAS reveals. Look for companies that nourish your competitive nature with rewards programs that recognize performance.

3. You would like to be self-employed, or at least in a career that provides plenty of autonomy.
While many new college graduates would like to be self-employed, few are able to do so because of high start-up rates and the cost of paying for health insurance, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Look for companies and careers that offer entrepreneurial-type benefits, like flexibility and unlimited income potential, along with the support and backing of a Fortune 500 company.

4. You understand the value of experience.
More than half of graduating college seniors don’t expect job offers upon graduation, and 74 percent think relevant work experience is most important in getting a job, according to monstertrack.com. Seek companies that offer internship programs where you can accrue relevant work experience while you’re still in school.

5. You want to work for a company that speaks your highly technological language.
In 2006, 97 percent of college students polled by Harvard Institute of Politics reported they had visited Facebook in the past month. Look for an employer who understands how you use technology to communicate – from e-mail and intranet to YouTube and social networking sites – and is willing to speak the same language.

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