Setting up informal interviews
Shortly after I graduated and my internship had ended, I was without a job. This, as I am sure all who have been without a job will know, is particularly stressful. It is also something that most recent graduates will have to face—because really, will you have your dream job lined up after graduation?
One piece of advice that one of the senior level people at my internship gave me proved to be an excellent way of bringing structure into your job search and relieving some of the stress. This is what he told me:
People love to talk about themselves, so make a list of ten to fifteen people in the area in which you are interested that you want to see for a chat. Tell them you would love to hear from them how they managed their career; tell them you are new and would love to discuss the different career paths you are thinking about. This is much more effective than telling them you are looking for a job and you would like to discuss the possibilities in his or her organization, but basically, you are asking the same thing.