Boomer parents' advice to college seniors

Prof. Peter
Wallace

If you have a son or daughter who's graduating from college in a few months, chances are you're a Baby Boomer.

And chances are you're wondering what advice you might give them if indeed they don't have much of a clue as to how to approach a retrenching job market.

And chances are this task might be especially difficult if you've lost your own job because of downsizing and you too are looking at a slim job market.

So, what to tell a graduating college senior?

"Basically the effort to find a job in this economy will require a great deal of networking, creativity and perseverance," said Peter Wallace, an associate professor of business administration at Stonehill College in Massachusetts.

Wallace is author of "Life 101: Real-World Advice for Graduating College Seniors."

In an email interview with Examiner, he breaks down his advice into the following categories:

Graduate school

"Professional graduate schools make some sense (medical profession, legal profession, teaching profession) if the individual is committed to that career track.  Graduate Business School makes little sense as most of the good schools require several years of business experience before admission.  Individuals with little clarity of a career track, which in my experience is most graduating seniors, are better to dive into life and get their feet wet."

Networking

"Job hunting in today’s environment is all about networking.  Parents know this if they have lost their job.  Make networking a family affair, everyone attempts to find new contacts and allows each member of the family to contact them as appropriate.  I recall a story from the recession in the early 2000s, where a father who was out of work, found a good job networking with his daughter’s college roommate’s father.   Networking is the most effective form of job hunting; why not make it a family affair."

Temporary employment

"When the recovery started after the early 2000s recession, cautious employers started adding temporary workers to avoid potential lay off costs if the economy did not improve.  For college graduates this not only gives them experience, but provides them with a sample of different kinds of work perhaps allowing them to hone in on a profession that they enjoy.  Temporary work also provides a significant opportunity to improve self esteem."

Volunteer

"Use your time effectively to help others.  Contributing in this way while you are job hunting will increase you appeal to employers, and improve your skills and discipline."