What the Class of 2021 should know as they enter the job market

Most new graduates feel some level of anxiety when they receive their degrees. Yes, they’re satisfied and proud of their achievements, but they’re now being thrust into the world to apply what they’ve just learned. The anxiety is easily amplified during times of economic uncertainty.

I know this is the case because I graduated a decade ago with my master’s degree. The unemployment rate in the U.S. was still hovering above 8% due to the Great Recession. Like many other graduates that year, I spent at least half of my time trying to line up an opportunity after graduation. What I can tell this year’s graduates is that it is possible to find those opportunities — even during challenging and uncertain times.

The Class of 2021 will likely hear that from their predecessors, too. The Class of 2020 entered into one of the worst job markets in modern history as companies let go of employees and put any hiring on hold at the start of the pandemic. LinkedIn data show hiring for those graduates was down about 37% in June 2020 from a year earlier, but — fortunately — it recovered to nearly pre-pandemic levels by October. 

LinkedIn’s 2021 Grad’s Guide to Getting Hired also shows that there are millions of entry-level jobs available for new graduates in the U.S. The jobs also align with people across a range of educational levels — from high school to advanced degrees. You can read the full report by clicking here.

Beyond the increasingly positive numbers about the current job market, people who have previously navigated the world of work as new graduates see a bright future for the Class of 2021. Many LinkedIn members offered their advice for new graduates on a post I published. While I can’t feature all of the advice, you can read the responses by clicking here.

Uncertainty is normal

Some graduates know what they want to do after they get their degrees, but a lot of other people aren’t sure which career path is right for them. Several LinkedIn members emphasized that it’s normal to be uncertain about what you actually want to do right after graduation.

“It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do for a career,” wrote Dan Mian, who is a career coach. “Your early years can be spent trying new things and learning about yourself.”

One way to find out what you want to do is to be curious and try things out. “Ask questions,” wrote Rob Kim, who is a career educator. “Remain flexible about your career. Turn this time of uncertainty into one of exploration.”

If you end up picking a job or an industry that isn’t a fit, you can still turn those experiences into learning opportunities. “People rarely have just one career or passion, and you will learn just as much from jobs that aren't a fit as the ones you enjoy,” wrote Kara D. Bell, who is a career writer.

ABC — Always Be Connecting

The foundation of any successful job search and career is networking. I like to think about networking as relationship building. Ultimately, you’re creating a support system that will carry you through the most difficult times in your career.

For example, a solid network can step in if you suddenly lose a job. Your network can connect you to new opportunities. While new graduates may not think they can do this in the very early days of their careers, they already have the foundation of a strong network in their teachers and peers. The key is to engage with them and keep connecting to new people to help you along the way.

“A degree will be the basic qualification needed to be considered for certain opportunities, however, the degree alone most often isn’t the sole factor in the door of any opportunity opening—it’s your network that will likely open the door of opportunity,” wrote Daryl Layson, who is a colleague of mine at LinkedIn.

If there are any silver linings to the past year, it’s that connecting with people online has become more natural and easier. You should not be afraid to reach out to people for advice and conversations about your job search and career.

“Research has repeatedly shown that relationships lead to your best opportunities,” wrote Tequesta DeSouza, who is a human resource professional. “Don't be afraid to reach out to professionals in your industry to seek guidance.”

Ask for help

Your degree does not mean your education is over — far from it. Your education will serve as a solid foundation throughout your career, but you’ll need to be a lifelong learner to really succeed. Part of being a lifelong learner is asking for help and advice when needed.

One of the most consistent pieces of advice people mentioned in their responses to my post is that you just need to ask. 

It can be intimidating to ask for guidance and admit that you don’t know what to do in a certain situation, we’ve all been in that position before. We’ve all relied on the wisdom of others to navigate those situations. Now, it’s your turn to reach out when you need that help. Eventually, you’ll be the person others turn to for advice.

What’s your advice for the Class of 2021? Join the conversation.

▶ Want even more #GetHired?

I go live every Friday at 12:00 p.m. ET from the LinkedIn News page to discuss important issues affecting job seekers and to answer your questions about looking for work. I spoke with Sonal Bahl, who is a career strategist and HR expert, on the most recent episode. You can watch it below or by clicking here.

Coming up…

Many people reevaluated their careers over the past year. We’ll be chatting with Lindsey Pollak, who is the author of Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work, on the next episode of #GetHired about plotting the next steps in your career. You can receive a notification when we go live on Friday, May 28 at noon ET by clicking “Remind Me” on this link or the link below.

▶ The follow-up

Reports of labor shortages are popping up across the country as many small businesses struggle to find workers. While many people are blaming enhanced unemployment benefits, Karin Kimbrough, who is LinkedIn’s chief economist, said in the last edition of #GetHired that a few other explanations are more persuasive possibilities. Specifically, working parents need their children back in school full time. Also, demand for employees increased faster than the supply of available workers. Lastly, sector-specific factors — such as low pay and reduced tips in the restaurant industry — are failing to attract workers. Here’s what people are saying about the analysis.

▶ Other news to help you #GetHired:

Companies may soon say “goodbye” to employees with rival offers. Reports are emerging of a possible “great resignation” as people reexamine what they want out of their careers and chase new opportunities. Part of that process will likely include employers evaluating whether they should match offers from rival companies or let employees leave. The Wall Street Journal recently discussed what that decision could look like for companies. Here’s what people are saying about the topic.

Some people don’t want to hear about a “return to work.” One thought I try to keep in mind as I write about job searches and careers is that not everyone was able to work from home during the pandemic. Many people had to put themselves at risk to take care of others — some by caring for them in health care facilities and some by working in frontline settings like a warehouse or grocery store. For them, it can be difficult to hear conversations about “returning” to work or an office because they never left. Joe Milord, my colleague, asked some LinkedIn members for their thoughts on the matter. Here’s what people are saying.

Don’t count offices out just yet. Many people have proclaimed that the pandemic would lead to companies ditching physical office spaces en masse to save money. Axios reports that those projections may have been premature. One reason is that even if fewer people are returning to the office, more space will be required for each employee who does go back to the office due to social distancing and other trends. Also, they note that the vacancy rates only increased a very small amount between the end of 2019 and the end of 2020. Here’s what people are saying about the future of offices.

▶ Up next:

I won’t be publishing a new #GetHired next week on May 31 due to the U.S. Memorial Day holiday, but a fresh edition will be landing in your notifications and inboxes on June 7. In that issue, I’ll be chatting with Tejal Wagadia, who is a recruiter and a 2020 LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Searches and Careers, to learn how recruiters dissect resumes. You won’t want to miss it!

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.