Dear J.T. & Dale: I am a new grad. I want to enjoy the rest of my summer and then start my grown-up job in the fall. When should I start looking for work? — Brandon
DALE: Whenever you get around to a job search, do not mention to hiring managers anything about enjoying your summer. Why? The people hiring you were not off enjoying summer, they were working, and they want to hire someone who puts work first, not someone who feels he needs a vacation.
J.T.: Honestly, I would not wait to look for a job. According to a recent LinkedIn study, it’s taking companies about 11 weeks to hire a new employee. That means from the moment you apply to the moment you start your job, it’s almost three months. You need to start looking now so that you can get through the hiring process, especially since the hiring process often takes even longer during the summer as they juggle interviews around hiring managers’ vacation schedules.
DALE: So, odds are you won’t have actual employment over the summer. Still, put away the sunscreen because you’ll have plenty of work, spending at least five to six hours a day on your job search. You’re already a couple of years behind, so it’s catch-up time. You should have been doing internships and building a network over your last couple of years in school, but you can make up for it with intense networking — getting together with other recent grads who already found jobs and by visiting with alumni who work in the field you’re planning to pursue — along with research into companies who are hiring grads and who have excellent growth prospects. Do it right and it will be the most rewarding and exhausting summer of your life.
