“The time has come,” the walrus said, “to get a job.” Transitioning from college to career can be difficult for some. But if they’re prepared, new graduates can make that transition a little easier for themselves. So, what do recent grads need to know going into the workforce? According to career expert J.T. O’Donnell, a lot of employers are skeptical about hiring recent grads due to their lack of experience. But what can grads to do overcome this common challenge? If you want to stand out and prove your value to employers, you have to show that you’re resourceful. “They’re looking for young professionals who can prove that they can hold themselves accountable, that they can manage themselves, that they can figure out problems for themselves, that they can seek answers on their own, that they can get work done without a lot of hand-holding and instruction,” said O’Donnell. “They’re looking for real independent self-starters.” But how can you convey this to employers as a recent grad? According to O’Donnell, the best thing you can do is to share examples of times in your life when you took initiative during job interviews. When were you able to step up, take care of business, and get things done without a lot of help? Those are examples you need to share. “When you can prove that to employers, you’re proving that you’ll truly be resourceful on the job and they’re not going to have to do all of that extra hand-holding,” said O’Donnell.
