What’s the difference between guiding and nagging? If you’re a parent, the answer probably is, “Depends on the day.” There are few times more challenging to parents of grownup kids than the period after graduation, when their newly minted grads head into an unknown future (and possibly back to their childhood bedroom). The challenge, of course, from a parent’s perspective, is how to encourage them in their budding career, without driving them nuts. This week, we look at Kelsey Manning’s advice for parents of recent grads. Plus: tips for brand-new Twitter users, and how to answer the dreaded question, “Don’t you think you’re overqualified?”
(Photo Credit: Jessie Jacobson/Flickr)
Kelsey Manning at Levo League: How to Talk Your College Grad About Getting a Job
If you’re having trouble understanding what’s going on in your kids’ heads, recent graduate Manning provides insight into what new grads are going through:
Any expert and anyone who has been there can tell you that self-esteem is the thing that takes the biggest hit during unemployment. Trust me, your kids are just as eager to find a job as you are for them to have one. They know you’ve just spent thousands of dollars on their education, and (I hope) they are endlessly grateful. They desperately want to have an answer to the question, “Where are you working?” Social media is there with unrelenting reminders of what isn’t true but certainly feels like it is: “EVERYONE HAS A JOB EXCEPT YOU, LOSER.” In short, they’re downright terrified (For confirmation on that, just read this piece I wrote last year, “Fears of a New Graduate“). From talking to many friends who have been through this difficult situation with their parents in the past year, here is some friendly advice for being there for your child in a productive way during the job search.
Read her tips, here.
Hannah Morgan at Career Sherpa: 11 Beginner Twitter Tips
“Twitter is a much better networking tool than LinkedIn!” writes Morgan. “It’s also better for job search and online visibility. What are you waiting for?”
If you’re like most, you’re held back by fear of the unknown – and of the potential for embarrassment while you navigate the learning curve. If you’re not on Twitter yet, it might feel like you’re too far behind to ever catch up. But just because you haven’t mastered every single existing social network currently in existence doesn’t mean it’s too late. Morgan’s tips – which include advice on crafting a bio that reflects your personal brand, and insight on what makes tweets engaging – will help any newbie get up to speed.
Katie Weiser at HallieCrawford.com: How to Answer the Overqualified Question
The lament I hear from my aged 50+ clients is: “I get the same question in every interview…Don’t you think you are overqualified … which translates into I am too old.” However, it is a legitimate question for a company to ask anyone who has done work similar to the job being applied to. After all, you could become bored and quit after the company has invested in you. So, let’s recognize the elephant in the room, and tackle it head on with a response that is both honest and shows your determination in getting the job.
Weiser’s tips include a few phrases to use in your response … and the all-important advice not to assume that you’re being called old, when in fact the recruiter might mean what she says.
Tell Us What You Think
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