by Jerry Grasso Published September 9, 1997 A friend of mine, who is a human resources director at a big communications firm in Texas, was telling me about a national HR conference he recently attended. One of the seminars discussed the hiring of entry-level employees. This seminar was of keen interest to my friend, entry-level candidate screening being one of his duties at his company. Three speakers — one with a Fortune 100 company, one with an international advertising agency, and one with an international engineering firm — all discussed what they look for from college graduates. My friend whole-heartedly believes they completely missed the mark. These big-time recruiters are just out-of-touch with the average college graduate. "College kids, and especially communication school grads, don't think in business terms yet, so they don't understand how to write a résumé that looks like that of a ten-year veteran," my friend said. "Plus, many human resources managers are looking at these kids from the wrong side of the table. They are looking through years of hiring experience; they've seen it all and believe each candidate fits in a box, or with a certain type of account. These applicants are so nervous, so inexperienced, they are just hoping to get through the interview without breaking a cold sweat. How can you put someone like this in a box?" he asked. I'm 27, class of 1991 — young enough to remember what looking for that first job felt like and old enough to know what works and what doesn't. So I decided to use my experience in looking for positions — and hiring interns and entry level personnel — to write ten common sense tips to help recent or upcoming graduates land a solid first job. These tips won't provide easy salvation, but they might improve your chances of finding what you want. Experience is what separates of wheat from chaff when it comes to résumés. If you are a sophomore or junior, heed these words. If you are a senior without experience, you better be quick on your feet and a fast thinker. Basically, the real world of employment is changing. Entry-level positions, i.e. gophers, are disappearing as the computer makes offices more productive and efficient with less need for errands and busy-work such as copying, faxing, basic editing, etc. Most agencies or firms need employees who are able to hit the ground running, with only minor training and down-time involved. If you have experience from either internships or part-time employment, your chances are exponentially greater than those of another candidate who has the same BA with no experience. Don't view your senior year as an extended vacation. I can't count the number of friends who waited until the last minute to send out their résumés. Agencies and firms don't operate under the same simple deadlines you're used to from your days of writing term papers; they make hiring decisions months before they begin interviewing for positions. This means that, in the time period between the decision to hire and the actual interviewing, they are narrowing down the list of candidates. You need to send your résumés no later than January if you're graduating in May or June — and in some cases, even sooner. Don't get caught behind the curve; you don't want to be flipping burgers with a diploma. Take advantage of informational interviews and on-campus club presentations. Typically, these interviews/presentations aren't conducted by agency vice-presidents but by mid-management personnel who are take the time from their schedules to talk to students and answer questions. My suggestion is to carefully listen to what they say, then drill them with specific queries. The more you learn about their experiences, the more knowledge you bring to the table at an interview. Don't kid yourself — knowing the lingo and work environment at different companies can be enormously helpful. CONTINUE WITH PART TWO