If you are still conducting a job search for a full-time or permanent position post-graduation, there are many options to help you maintain daily structure, stay motivated and keep you connected to the world of work. This blog will cover short-term experiences which include post-college internships and temporary work. These options also allow you to target organizations where you think you would like to work permanently.
Any time you are at an employment site you are making connections and this may lead to permanent employment! Sometimes it may feel overwhelming to know where to begin, so we have compiled some resources to get you started.
Post-College Internships
A post-college internship is experiential learning at an employer site that occurs after you earn your college degree. Although the majority of internships happen during the college years, especially during the summer, there are employers open to hiring college graduates. One way to find a post-college internship is to contact the employer via email or phone to see if they are open to hiring a recent graduate. As a college graduate, you will have more skills and perhaps experience than an undergraduate. You can pitch your skills and experience as an advantage. Paid and unpaid internships without strict requirements (i.e., for credit only, for sophomores and juniors only, etc.) are all fair game. Handshake is a great resource for finding a post-college internship.
Temporary Employment
Temporary employment, temporary work, a temp assignment or a temp job, refers to an employment situation where the working arrangement is limited to a certain period of time based on the needs of the employer. Unlike permanent positions, a temp job may last anywhere from a single day to several months. Temporary work is available in many fields and can be geared for employment at all skill levels.
Many people use a placement agency to assist them in finding a temp job. You can go online and do some research to find placement agencies in your geographic area. By working with a placement agency that places people into temp jobs, you may be able to find a temp assignment more quickly than searching on your own. If you work with an agency, make sure you are not paying a fee to the agency.
The recruiter at the placement agency may ask you to send them your resume, come in for a preliminary interview and have you take some assessments (i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel etc.) to get to know you and your skill levels. If you have scheduling needs, i.e., part-time only, certain hours/days, etc. you can tell the recruiter to take that into account when they look for appropriate placements. You may be asked to interview at the potential employment site, but this should be a shorter interview and with fewer people than interviewing for a permanent position. You will likely be told whether or not you are hired for the temp job shortly after you interview.
With a post-college internship or temporary job, what you make of it is up to you. In addition to being a great resume builder, being at an employment site is an easy way to make connections to people who can refer you to permanent employment. You will gain inside knowledge of the organization and may discover jobs that are not yet advertised. You may also explore career options that weren’t already on your radar. You’ll probably be more relaxed about not having landed that permanent job yet!
BU + Beyond 