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IN THIS ISSUE:

-Job Search Tip of the Week - "Graduation and Still No Job"
-Help Spread The Word!
-Job Search Links
-Free Job Search Book
-Sponsor: Free Career Analysis

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Contents

- Job Search Tip of the Week, by Brian Krueger, author of "College Grad Job Hunter," the #1 book for entry level job search:

"Graduation and Still No Job"

I do not envy those who don the cap and gown without a job offer in hand. But don't give up and certainly don't let down in your efforts. This is not the time to take a vacation or "take time off." It's time to double your efforts and make a strong push forward. You are now truly full-time in your job search, and the quicker you make your mark the better, because the market is about to be flooded with about 400,000 other lost souls just like yourself. But with one very major difference--you have armed yourself for battle and are ready to push at the lines. Use the Napoleon Strategy--keep pushing at the lines until you see a point that is vulnerable, then put all your forces and energy into penetrating that area of possible access.

If you have not already done so, go back and read all of the job search information at CollegeGrad.com in its entirety. In it you will find several keys which can still unlock doors that might otherwise block your path.

The first thing you should do upon graduating without a job is to retrace your job search steps over the past year. You should immediately recontact all the employers you interviewed with. If you interviewed at the company-site and failed to make the final cut, you should recontact. If you interviewed on-campus and received a form letter rejection, you should recontact. Even if you only went through a short interview on the phone, you should recontact.

Why? Several reasons. First, most employers have an minor attrition factor at the actual start date, when some of the accepted offers do not actually start. Better offer. Decided to go back to school. Budding romance in another part of the country. Joined the Peace Corps. Whatever the reason, when there is a dropout before the start date, there is an open position. And when it is this late in the process, few companies want to begin the hiring process all over again. In larger companies there are usually a set number of entry level positions which need to be filled for a full training class. You could be the right person at the right time.

The second reason is that many employers will have made changes in their hiring demand during the intervening weeks or months. If that demand is greater, your notification of immediate availability can make you a prime candidate. Even if there is not an immediate need, any new openings that become available could have your name attached.

The third reason is that your availability has changed. Namely, you are available immediately. Since many medium and smaller companies operate within shorter time frames, they many have shied away from you when your graduation (and availability) was still months away. Your present availability could put you in immediate contention for any currently open positions.

The final reason is that even if you hit a "sorry, nothing is available" dead-end with the employer, you are given another opportunity to ask for referrals to other companies. Most employers are willing to help you by providing contact information for other employers who may be hiring.

So retrace your steps and notify all past contacts that you are still available. If you are uncomfortable in making this approach, use the excuse of updating the employer with your new address and phone number, which is vital information for employers to be able to reach you at a later date. And don't just stop with your employer contacts--recontact your whole network of contacts. There will be a renewed sense of urgency on everyone's part to assist you in your job search. Take advantage of it.

And never, ever give up. This is your moment of truth and you need to push forward with every ounce of courage and tenacity.

Next newsletter: "Your Graduation Job Search Schedule"

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Contents

- Help Spread The Word!

Do you know of someone who can benefit from the information in this newsletter? Simply forward this e-mail to them and tell them to subscribe at http://www.CollegeGrad.com/newsletter. Thanks for spreading the good word!

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Contents

Job Search Links:

• Searching job postings:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/jobs
• Setting up a job alert:
  http://jobs.CollegeGrad.com/JS/Form/SearchForm.asp?alert=y
• Post your resume:
  http://jobs.CollegeGrad.com/JS/Form/SignUpForm.asp
• Update your posted resume:
  http://jobs.CollegeGrad.com/JS/Form/LoginForm.asp
• Creating your resume:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/resumes
• Quickstart resume templates:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/resumes/quickstart
• Creating your cover letter:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/coverletters
• Career information/exploration:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/careers
• Employer research:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/employers
• Top Entry Level Employers:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/topemployers
• Interviewing techniques:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/intv
• Salary info--how much are you worth?
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/salaries
• Job offer negotiation:
  http://www.CollegeGrad.com/offer

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Contents

- Job Search Book Online

There are at least two other entry level Web sites that offer books on job searching, proclaming that they will tell you everything you need to know about entry level job search.

However, there is a very important point about these books they don't mention up front: they cost money.

At CollegeGrad.com, we give you two things they don't:

1. The #1 entry level job search book ("College Grad Job Hunter").
2. It's free.

It's that simple. So don't buy the hype. Read the real information you need for FREE:

http://www.CollegeGrad.com/book

Don't ever pay for books or reports or resources of lower quality when you can access the very best quality information for free.

P.S. Yes, you can buy "College Grad Job Hunter" in hardcopy format as well at Amazon.com for $15 (actually, 30% off that price), but the online version is better. Why? Because the version at Amazon.com (the 2003 edition) is being continually updated at CollegeGrad.com. So the most current version of the book is actually the online, free version.

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Contents

- Sponsor: Free Career Analysis

Searching for the right career? Get a FREE Career Analysis using the MAPP (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential). This career analysis will show you the top 11-20 jobs with your greatest potential for success, including 5 free job matches:

http://www.CollegeGrad.com/careers/freecareeranalysis.shtml

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