According to statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor on August 5, 2022, the overall unemployment rate in the United States was 3.5% in July. The above indicators have fallen from 14.7% when the pandemic broke out (April 2020), and the overall unemployment rate has returned to the level of February 2020 before the pandemic. The U.S. non-agricultural sector added 528,000 jobs in July, surpassing the U.S. average of 388,000 in the past four months. From a survey conducted by a U.S. coupon site CouponBirds, due to the aging of the labor force and the slowdown of immigration policies in the United States, the problem of labor shortage in the United States is becoming more and more serious, which also further pushes up the employment demand for 2022 graduates in the graduation season.

The youth unemployment rate (16-24 years old) in July 2022 was 8.5%, a year-on-year decrease of 1.5%. Simultaneously, the number of employed youths aged 16 to 24 was 21 million, and the youth employment rate was 55.3%, an increase of 0.9 percentage points over the previous year, which gave a hope of economic recovery.

The employment of young people, whether it is a high school graduate or a college graduate looking for a job, is a good thing for society, the family, and themselves. However, there are still some graduates that seem helpless when they are about to leave the campus. Here are some useful suggestions to share with you for seeking for a job:

1. Know your career goal

In order to get a full-time job, many graduates would better not blindly search for relevant job information on the Internet before applying for jobs. They need to determine in advance the type of industry, location, work environment, salary and corporate culture that are most suitable for them. Clear goals can save a lot of selection time when applying for a job.

2. Prepare a resume well

Writing a good resume is the first step to a successful job search, and it is also a very critical step. Therefore, when writing your resume, you must take it seriously. On the one hand, you can find an experienced advisor in the career center for guidance and let him help to modify it. On the other hand, relevant experience, such as an internship or summer job in that field, should be included on the resume. But employers also value your broader experiences, including volunteering, job apprenticeships, coursework or part-time work, such as at summer camp or retail. A candidate's soft skills, including leadership, initiative, ethics, problem-solving, application skills, teamwork and communication, can also be reflected on a resume to better demonstrate their strengths to employers.

3. Consult the school career center

Almost every school, especially a university, has a career center. Students can go there to seek resources and information from experienced teachers about job searching. They can help you clarify career goals, prepare resumes, and gain interview experience. It is a free and efficient resource.

4. Don't miss every career fair

In American universities, there is usually a large career fair organized by the school in the spring and autumn each year. Generally, schools will attach great importance to these activities. At this time, many companies will publish position information and recruit students. After all, the employment rate is very important to schools. Such events typically involve large national corporations and local businesses. In this way, you can not only master a lot of first-hand recruitment information, but also communicate with HR of various companies, establish more personal connections, and pave the way for your future career.

5. Make good use of LinkedIn as a networking resource

LinkedIn can be regarded as the world's largest professional social networking site and a social platform for business customers. The registered users can maintain the people they know and trust in business exchanges through certain membership rights and visual professional backgrounds, and form a social or personal network. Now the number of users has reached 200 million, and an average of one new member joins every second. A good network is equal to a good job opportunity, and it also builds up your credibility in the workplace and your influence in interpersonal relationships.

6. Practice a lot before you go to the interview

Before you go to the interview, please research the company in advance to understand its values, mission and business. Be aware of any recent news about this company, such as the latest investment. Practice upcoming questions and come up with specific cases to highlight your skills and experience. Due to COVID-19, many companies may conduct interviews remotely for each round. You should be proficient in using the camera and test your Wi-Fi ahead of time to avoid accidents.

7. Think about your offer before accept it

You may be in a hurry after weeks or months of consistently receiving rejection letters, but it's not a good idea to accept a job offer right away. It would be better to create a list of questions to ask employers about career development opportunities in the future. And you should be clear about benefits such as vacation and insurance plans. Spend a day or a few of time on thinking about the overall compensation package, not just the salary. For remote positions, inquire about home allowances for your work equipment such as desks or computers.

Finally, finding a job isn't easy, and many graduates tend to get too caught up in the important decisions (like what job or position to accept). Before looking for a job, graduates should plan with a calm mind, prepare well, make good use of the resources available around them, boldly move towards the goal they think is the best, and make the decision that fits. Every graduate can definitely find their own dream job!