Career Strategies for Recent Graduates

If I were graduating in this market, here’s exactly what I’d do: ✅ Build a standout resume first. Tailor it to different roles, highlight relevant experiences, and get feedback. Then revise it—at least 5 times. This is your first impression, make it count. ✅ Make a list of roles I’m aiming for and reach out to people who recently landed them. Especially those with <1 year of experience—they’ll have the freshest insights. Learn from their journey. ✅ Treat the job search like a full-time job. Have a clear plan, stay consistent, and experiment. One day cold apply. One day network. One day reach out to recruiters. Test what works and double down. ✅ Start prepping for interviews early. Don’t wait for a recruiter to reach out—start now. This gives you time to improve without pressure. ✅ Stand out in interviews. Create a mini case study, research the company inside out, and ask questions that show you’ve done the work. What would you add to this list?

LinkedIn asked me: What would you tell new grads navigating today’s job market? Here is my answer without sugar-coating. "10 unorthodox, battle-ready truths every new grad or early career job seeker needs to know" 1. “Don’t Job Hunt. Build a Portfolio.” 👉 Instead of endlessly applying, create 1 project a week that shows your skills. “Proof beats promise.” Call To Action (CTA): Post one work sample on LinkedIn this month. “Show them what you can do, not what you say you’ll do.” 2. “Be the Uncomfortable One.” 👉 Send a cold email or DM to 3 industry leaders this week. Ask a bold question. CTA: Message 1 hiring manager today. “To be outstanding, get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” 3. “Stop Waiting. Start Building.” 👉 Create a LinkedIn post that teaches something from what you know. Thought leadership starts before you’re hired. CTA: Write & post something by Friday. “Stop waiting for opportunities. Start creating them.” 4. “Turn Your Resume Into a Story.” 👉 Rewrite your resume as a 1-page story of challenges, wins, and lessons. Make it read like a narrative, not a list. CTA: Update 1 section with a “what I learned” line this weekend. “Every job seeker has a story; how you tell yours makes all the difference.” 5. “Forget Perfect. Aim for Progress.” 👉 Send an application even if you meet 60% of the criteria. Stop self-eliminating. CTA: Apply to one “stretch role” today. “Progress > perfection. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” 6. “Make LinkedIn a Playground, Not a Résumé Dump.” 👉 Add a weird hobby, bold headline, or unexpected banner image. Spark curiosity. CTA: Change 1 thing in your LinkedIn profile now to stand out. “Your LinkedIn is your billboard. Make them stop scrolling.” 7. “Find Your Allies, Not Just Jobs.” 👉 Network sideways. Connect with other grads, creators, builders—not just managers. Peers hire peers. CTA: DM 2 classmates or fellow grads this week about collaborating. “Your network is your net worth—but don’t forget to build it across, not just up.” 8. “Pitch Yourself, Not Just Apply.” 👉 Record a 60-second video pitch about your excitement for a company or role. Email it, DM it, or post it. CTA: Film & share 1 short pitch this weekend. “You’re not a job title. You’re an idea waiting to be heard.” 9. “Interview Them Back.” 👉 Go into interviews with 5 bold questions prepared for the company. Flip the dynamic. CTA: Write those 5 questions today. “If you’re not interviewing them, you’re begging for their approval.” 10. “Act Like a Freelancer, Even as a Job Seeker.” 👉 See yourself as a business of one. Market. Sell. Pitch. Iterate. Deliver. CTA: Write your personal ‘About Me’ like a service page. “You’re the product. Package it. Sell it. Upgrade it.” Now stop reading. Go conquer the world! #Classof2025 #RiseUp #DeepakBhootra Join RiseUp Private Group on LinkedIn, which is dedicated to career guidance for early and mid-career professionals. 👉https://lnkd.in/d8HKzh7q

My recent post for new grads went viral - the biggest lesson was your career needs to be outbound before it becomes inbound. Now here’s how to actually do that ⬇️ 👉 Believe in yourself. Imposter syndrome holds us back. Humility is important, but don’t feel like you need to wait in the shadows for your turn. 👉 Ask for opportunities. Referrals, resume reviews, coffee chats, mentorship side projects, ownership on the team etc. Expect a ton of nos (like at least 80%) but get into the habit of asking. 👉 Create content. If you press publish every single day or week for a year, I guarantee your life will change. Start with things you know - what are you known as, online or among friends? what could you talk about all day? What brings you joy or pisses you off? Or if you’re working on or creating anything, document the journey (Day 5 of doing X). It doesn’t even have to be LinkedIn. 👉 Engage online - for every career path, there are online communities on Slack, Discord, LinkedIn etc. You should be in them and be visible. Share insights, help others out, become known. 👉 Go the extra mile - I don’t condone unpaid work, but sometimes you have to prove yourself. When interviewing for a job, present new ideas for how the company could grow. If you’re looking for freelance work, customize your pitch. Here’s a few hypothetical examples: 1. Associate Product Marketer → Startup Offer via Thought Leadership Started a weekly LinkedIn series breaking down viral product launches (e.g. Duolingo's TikTok strategy). After 6 weeks, a founder of a B2B SaaS company DMed them, impressed by their insights. They got a freelance project, which turned into a full-time offer. 2. Entry-Level Designer → Consulting Gig via Spec Work Redesigned the mobile app UI for a fitness startup they admired, posted it on Behance and Twitter with a thoughtful case study. The startup’s head of design saw it, reached out, and hired them for a paid project. 3. College Senior Studying CS → FTE Role via Twitter Networking Replied to a tweet by a founder who was struggling with page load times. Offered to review their site’s performance for free. After a quick Loom audit, they were invited to consult, then offered a full-time engineer role once the startup raised funding. 4. Early Career Consultant → Career Transition via Cold Pitch Pitched a local restaurant chain business with a 5-step business plan to improve growth. Met with founder then hired as advisor then head of strategy. 5. Aspiring VC → Job via Hosting Events Started a monthly “Future of [industry]” dinner series in NYC, inviting founders, operators, and junior VCs. Built a newsletter around event recaps. Met a partner at a VC firm through the event who later offered them a role as an analyst. The inbound opportunities will come — but you can accelerate the timeline by going outbound. #socialmedia #careers #linkedin

Your first job out of college can feel overwhelming. I still remember joining IBM as a fresh grad, unsure of what to expect but eager to prove myself. While I had worked hard to earn that opportunity, I quickly realized that succeeding in your first job takes more than just technical skill. Here’s my biggest piece of advice to new grads stepping into their first role: 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼. Be proactive, not reactive. That one shift in mindset changes everything. Instead of just doing what was assigned to me, I started thinking about: → How can I make my manager's job easier? → What’s slowing the team down? → Is there a process that can be improved? → Can I learn from teams outside my own? 💡 I wasn’t confined by my job description- I explored! I reached out to people beyond my immediate team, set up 1:1s to learn what they were working on, and asked where I could contribute. That helped me meet incredible people like Armand Ruiz, Dr. Seth Dobrin, Priya Krishnan, Shadi Copty, and so many more! That habit of thinking beyond your role, and then sharing your thought process and actionable ideas, is what builds credibility early on. It also helps you get noticed. 🌱 Having a growth mindset was key. I didn’t wait for opportunities, I created them by showing initiative and being vocal about how I could help. 🤝 Networking inside your company is as important as networking outside. Many of the best career moves I’ve made happened because I nurtured relationships beyond my team. Don’t underestimate the power of a coffee chat with someone in a different org. If you’re just starting your career, remember: → Speak up even if you’re the most junior person in the room → Share ideas that benefit your broader org → Learn fast, ask smart questions, and stay curious → Build relationships early and intentionally → You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start showing up like someone who’s ready to grow. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁. 💼 #Classof2025

Worried about finding a job? Last week I met an amazing young gentleman Who is looking to find a job in data science. As I talked with him and shared the steps That worked very well for me in the past, I realized that these might help many Folks who are actively job-seeking. So, I wrote this Friday #GetHired2025 post. It might help folks who are: 1. About to graduate in the #Classof2025. 2. Been job searching for a few months. 3. Recently affected by various layoffs. You're probably getting worried and stressed About finding a steady position, and soon, So that you can get on with your life! News stories like these can affect your momentum. Pessimism in careers: https://lnkd.in/gtGdRN7e Hiring holds up: https://lnkd.in/gwGkg2w6 First, let go of all fears and refocus on your purpose. If finding a job and growing your career matters, You will need to approach it with a strategy. Random applications are perfectly fine, But they often create a false sense of Security in having done "something." Follow my "Take FIVE Strategy" Actionable Insights for Every Weekday: 1. Write down 5 job titles that pertain to you. --> Focus on why and how you qualify. --> Job titles can be generic so specificity matters. 2. Find 5 job postings for each job title --> If you can't find 5 openings, the job doesn't exist. --> Look for alternative job titles to seek out. 3. Identify 5 keywords in each job posting. --> You will see many keywords repeating. --> Embed these words in your resume. 4. Reach out to and network with 5 professionals --> Connect with and follow 5 leaders in your field. --> Do this everyday - that's 25 people a week! 5. Create 5 customized Job Applications --> Use #AI tools or LinkedIn tools to add value. --> Try to reach out to recruiter if you can. Quantity or bulk applying are not sufficient In a competitive job market to stand out. You need to demonstrate the quality & The value that you bring along when You apply to any organization. It takes work to find work! Follow Dr. Kruti Lehenbauer & Analytics TX, LLC for #PostitStatistics #DataScience #Economics tips. P.S.: What is your biggest fear about jobs right now?