Career Bound: Real Steps for the Real World

Join us each Friday through June 12 for Career Bound, a series from Built By Girls and Yahoo Life celebrating college graduates and guiding them as they take their first steps into the real world. This week, team Built By Girls gives 5 tips to jumpstarting your career — especially in this uncertain time.

Video transcript

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DANYA SHERBINI: Hey, everyone. I'm Danya from Built By Girls, and I'm so excited to be following that speech You just watched. At Built By Girls, our mission is to prepare the next generation of female and non-binary leaders to step boldly into careers powered by technology.

We're here to help you take the inspiration from today's commencement speech and funnel it toward your career ambitions. Now, we all know that being a graduate is insanely exciting, but it's also really nerve racking at the same time, especially when you're entering the world when there is a global pandemic going on.

But I want to take this moment to say congrats. Huge congratulations to all the 2020 grads that are out there. Even though you're not walking across a physical stage or celebrating the way you may have hoped, you still have achieved a huge accomplishment.

That being said, you may have a lot of questions and anxieties about what it might be like to job search during this climate. And if so, you're by no means alone. We asked of the students in the Built by Girls community to share their biggest questions when it comes to their post grad careers. Here are a few that came up.

VIVIAN TAN: Hi, I'm Vivian Tan. I'm 16 years old and I'm from Richmond, BC. And I know that getting a job, networking, and finding your passions is really important in your life. And I know that personal branding is something that can help you stand out during your job search. So I want to ask, how do you best advocate yourself as you apply to those jobs?

VICTORIA JOHNSTON: Hi. My name is Victoria Johnston. I'm 19 years old and I'm calling in from the Jersey City, New Jersey area. My question is, how can undergraduate students leverage their networks both professionally and academically? Thank you so much. Bye.

- Hey. My name is Geffen. I'm 23 years old and I live in LA. I'm about to graduate from UCLA this year. I guess my biggest question upon graduation is, how do I leverage my network to get a job, even when there's layoffs every other week in the tech industry?

- Hi. My name is Ani, I'm 18 and I'm from New York City. And I was wondering how do you maintain connections after adding them on LinkedIn or meeting them in person?

- My name is Kaitlin, I'm 21 years old, and I'm from New York City. And my biggest post grad question is, how do you network virtually?

DANYA SHERBINI: Huge thank you to everybody who sent us a question. Today, Built By Girls is going to try to answer some of them. But before we dive in, I think it's a great place-- I think it's a great time to take a step back and differentiate between a job and a career.

I know this may sound a little obvious, but let me explain what I mean. A job is a paid position that will likely change frequently over your career. But each job you hold may become a stepping stone towards that larger career path.

And meanwhile, that career path is your long term career and professional progression, and that will include many jobs along the way and it's something that changes and develops over time. So earlier, we heard from some recent grads who may be freaking out a little bit about the job search right now, and we totally get it.

Even during this uncertain time, Built By Girls is here to offer some practical advice to launch your post career. So here are five tips you can use right now. The first tip is to study up on job descriptions. It's important to start your post grad career journey by looking at what's out there.

If you're not sure where to start or what you're interested in, that's OK. Think about some of the classes that you really enjoyed, the student groups you were involved in, or some of the internships you had and really loved.

Those are the types of experiences that can help you decide what type of skills you have, what strengths you have, and what type of work you may want to do down the line. So once you have an idea of the type of jobs that you may be interested in, start looking at those job descriptions.

Don't think of a job description as some intimidating roadblock standing between you and landing your dream job. They're really just a tool for you to see if jobs fit your skills, interests, and values, and therefore, if that job is a right fit for your career.

So here's how to study up on those job descriptions in a bit more detail. Compile a bunch of them into a spreadsheet or a document, read them thoroughly, and start highlighting keywords. Pay close attention to two things. First, the skills that the job is looking for in a candidate, and second, the description of the role and responsibilities that that job would perform.

And then start thinking about examples from your own experience, professional and academic, that match those words and phrases in the job description. And remember, in this job climate as a recent grad, it's likely that you might not find a job that's a perfect fit for you or exactly what you want to do.

But the best thing you can do right now is be nimble and open minded and adapt to what's out there. Let's take an example. Let's say you're interested in the field of finance, but you don't get the job that you initially wanted. Instead, maybe there's an alternative route you can take.

Maybe you can start as an executive assistant for the chief financial officer or for a VP on a finance team at a company. That way, even though you're not working in that field per se, you're still gaining valuable insight and a look into what that field could entail.

I think about it this way. Even a half step towards your career goal is still a step in the right direction. So now I'm going to walk you through the final four tips that we have to kick starting your post grad career.

CAROL CHAN: Danya, it's me. I'm here to help you out even though you didn't ask for it. Have you told them about the skills gap and how to narrow it yet?

DANYA SHERBINI: Carol, we're streaming right now, but I guess you can go ahead and tell them.

CAROL CHAN: Great. Well, how about we start by defining what it is? Your skills gap is basically all the things that you see on your dream job description, but you haven't mastered yet. So let's say you have a pretty good idea of what job or career you want to pursue. That's the first step.

From there, it's time to think about what skills you still have to work on to ensure that you are a good candidate for that job. Let's take, for example, that you're really passionate about a career in marketing. If that's the case, maybe you should brush up on your social media skills.

If you want to be a UX designer, then you have to learn some more specialized programs. Or maybe you're extra ambitious and your ideal career path requires a master's degree. Whatever it is, make sure the skills that you're building are applicable to the jobs that you're working towards.

Once you do know what skills you need to develop, the next step is pretty simple. Find resources. All it requires is a little bit of determination and a lot of digging on the internet. So are there online courses that you can take, an extra curricular activity that can be done virtually?

I've been seeing a lot of digital workshops and webinars that are being held during this time. The internet is your best friend and the sky's really the limit here. At this point, you know what job you want, you're working on the skills, you've found the resources, but there's still no job in sight. Then what do you do?

Well, here's a pro tip. Be proactive. Think about what projects you can create for yourself. You can brainstorm ideas of how to connect those skills to personal interests, hobbies, or passion points that you have. Or better yet, maybe there's a small business in need right now where you can volunteer your time.

Are they in need of graphic design, web development? Whatever it is, this is a good chance for you to add something to your resume while also putting into practice some of the skills that you've been working on. And after all of that hard work, there is still one more thing I need you to know, which is a lot of the learning actually happens on the job.

So don't think you have to be perfect or to check every box on that job description in order to qualify. As long as you've demonstrated an interest and have these small projects to show that you're proactively working on your skills, then you're definitely on the right track.

And if you are interviewing, which you will be soon if you're not, for an internship or a job, ask about opportunities to continue learning new things. Are there opportunities on this job and within this company to grow professionally? If so, what does that look like? Make sure to ask those really important questions. All right. Danya, did I miss anything?

DANYA SHERBINI: No, Carol. I think that pretty much covers it. So after this short break, I'm going to share more advice from Team Built By Girls about kick starting your post grad career.

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DANYA SHERBINI: Welcome back to "Career Bound," brought to you by Built By Girls. Before the break, we learned about how to study up on job descriptions to match your skills and interests, and we also talked about how to narrow your skills gap so that you can land that job that you want.

MAGGIE STAMETS: Hi, guys. I'm watching the livestream, and are you ever going to get to informational interviews?

DANYA SHERBINI: We were just about to, but I'm assuming you want to cover this, Maggie.

MAGGIE STAMETS: Me? No, no, I couldn't. Well, OK. So a really great way to stay active and keep building your network without having to shake anyone's hand and make those connections just from your couch is to set up informational interviews.

So I know the term informational interview sounds a little bit stiff. But think of it like this. Virtual coffee chat with someone whose job or career journey you really admire. These are your chance to learn about what building your career will look like in the real world.

Plus, you might make an awesome connection in the industry that you want to go into. But you also might learn that their job is not for you when you hear about the day to day. But that's super valuable too. So the first step is to reach out and make the ask.

Most people are more than happy to share a little bit of their time and talk about their experience with you. I mean, who doesn't love talking about themselves? So don't be afraid to reach out via LinkedIn are on email. Because the worst thing that they're going to say is no.

In that email, just include your name, your relevant interests, and a direct ask, which is usually just for a little bit of their time. But if you're still worried about reaching out, I totally get it. It's so nerve wracking, whether you've had an introduction with that person or you're just emailing cold. But head on over to the Built By Girls blog and there's email templates that can help you out.

So once you've reached out and set up the meeting and it's time to meet, it's really important that you come prepared with questions so that you can guide the conversation. Remember, you set up this meeting, so you should be prepared to lead it.

Do your research. Maybe do some light LinkedIn stalking, give them a Google, write down all your questions, have all the topics that you want to talk about ready to go. And that way you can walk in feeling comfortable and prepared.

They'll also probably want to hear a bit about you, your school, your interests, your goals, and how you all wrap this up succinctly is called an elevator pitch. You can learn how to prepare one of those on the Built By Girls blog as well.

TIANA KARA: OK. I know you guys are kind of in the middle of something right now, but I've got a hot tip. Do you mind if I step in and give that fourth one, Danya?

DANYA SHERBINI: Yeah, sure. It was going to be about personal advisory boards.

TIANA KARA: Well, that's actually perfect, because that's literally what my tip was about, how to actually start your personal advisory board. So I know time and time again, we've all been told that building your network is important when it comes to your career trajectory. Gotta go out there and network.

But not many people talk about the importance of building a personal advisory board. That is key, especially during a time like this where the job market is volatile. So your personal advisory board is actually a group of professionals and your peers, and it's important to have a solid mix of the two.

These folks that come in and they are kind of considered your go-to squad. The people that you reach out to about finances or, you know, basically how to interact with your peers, your professional peers. How do you even interact with your manager?

These people are critical to helping when you're looking to, let's say, change your career path or even switch and get a new job altogether. Now, if you remember nothing from what I'm saying right now, remember this. Even though it's very important that you build your personal advisory board, it's just as important that you maintain those relationships. Because you never know when they're going to come in handy, like during a global crisis that's, you know, resulting in this economic downturn.

You may consider it to be a little strange, building a relationship with someone virtually, but it's actually never been easier. If they only have a short period of time, schedule a virtual coffee chat for about 15 minutes. Or if they can truly invest, one of my favorites is a BYOL, Bring Your Own Lunch.

Sit down and have an intimate conversation with them virtually. Maybe on the phone, on FaceTime, or a virtual chat. Tell them how you're doing and check in and see how they're doing as well in this time. It's really beautiful to build your relationship that way versus just reaching out to them when you need something.

But regardless. When you're reaching out, whether it be to ask for a favor or because you want to just touch base, make sure that you're direct in your ask. I can't tell you the number of times folks have reached out to me via LinkedIn and it's clear that they want something from me, but they don't really give me much direction.

What is the action that you want me to take? So make sure that you're clear in that. OK. I've kind of consumed way too much time, more than I expected. But Danya, sorry for hogging it. I'll let you get back to the stream.

DANYA SHERBINI: No worries. It actually looks like we have a bit of extra time here, so we are going to take a few questions from the Built By Girls community. So would you three mind sticking around to answer some of those?

MAGGIE STAMETS: I'm game.

CAROL CHAN: Sounds good.

TIANA KARA: Let's do it.

DANYA SHERBINI: All right we'll be back after this break to answer a few questions from some students.

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DANYA SHERBINI: Welcome back to "Career Bound," brought to you by Built By Girls. We're walking you through some practical steps you can take to launch your post grad career, and now we're going to answer some questions that came from the Built By Girls community.

So let's go ahead and start with the first question. Kat asks, I've heard some friends are losing their internships because of COVID-19. Should I wait to apply to those types of opportunities?

TIANA KARA: Oh, happy to step in and answer this one. Do not wait. Time waits for no one. Please reach out, start to search, apply. Plenty of companies are still hiring interns right now. And many of them are starting to transition in the way that their positions, and even calling them virtual internships. So research that, check those out. But 100%, do not wait. No need to.

MAGGIE STAMETS: Yeah. 100% agree. I want to yes and plus one, Tiana. Now is a great time also to practice applying. And I know that sounds kind of silly, but the skill of being awesome at applying, learning how to fill out applications, what keywords to use, how to make your resume awesome, how to write an amazing cover letter that's perfect for that company, that all takes a lot of practice.

So now is a great time to just keep applying to those open positions that do trickle in and really hone that skill, because it's also going to take a lot of applications before you land a job, even in a normal time. There's also a lot of companies that are doing really well right now.

You know, think of the sites and the apps and the things that are bringing you joy or making this time more bearable or even functional for everyone. Those are the type of industries and companies that, if they're not hiring right now, they will be. So really be smart and keep an eye out for opportunities like that as well. But yes, definitely apply.

DANYA SHERBINI: All right, thanks for answering that one. Our next question is coming from Joyce. So Joyce asks, what advice do you have for those who have had their summer plans canceled?

CAROL CHAN: I'd love to take that one because I have a lot to say on this topic. First of all, I just want to acknowledge that that really does suck. I think it is important to know that it is a bummer and it's OK if you're feeling frustrated, upset, or anxious about what's happening.

We're all going through these really uncertain times and we're all trying to adjust to this new normal. And I think this is hitting graduates and college students just a little bit more. Just a quick story about when I was in college. I remember it was really important to me that I blocked off every hour, every week, every season.

I wanted to be super proactive in school clubs and internships. The list really goes on and on. And I think it's because I imagined if I did A, B, and C, that that would result in the perfect job or internship. And this can be true, but it's not always true.

And so my advice is, if there is really any silver lining to our current situation, it's that finally, you have this chance to slow down and take a step back from all the hustling that you've been doing. This might actually be a good chance for you to enjoy your summer vacation, which I know sounds weird or daunting.

But just remember, we're all in the same boat together. You're graduating with a class of individuals who have the same setbacks and the same obstacles as you. So just remember that the setbacks that you have are not your own. We're all going through it together.

Outside of actually taking time for yourself, because I know a lot of new ambitious individuals will not be doing that, this is also a very great chance for you to actually work on projects you've never given the time to. Be creative about how you can spend this time.

So has there been an idea that you've been brewing in the back of your mind but haven't really commit to? Or is there like, a nonprofit that you want to volunteer with but also never really made it to the top of your to do list? Whatever it might be, there's so many different ways to be productive right now if that is what you're looking for, and for you to continue crafting your skills in ways that are not necessarily just an internship.

At the end of the day, just remember, having or not having a summer internship does not define your future. Your career is going to be a lifelong journey and this is just one milestone for that.

DANYA SHERBINI: Absolutely. Thanks for answering that one, Carol. And our next question comes from Katrina. She asks, how do you overcome the psychological effects of uncertainty?

MAGGIE STAMETS: Yeah. I can definitely take this one because it just hits me right here. I totally feel that. I-- you know, I think graduating is a really scary thing. It's exciting but really scary, no matter when you graduate. Even if, you know, you're not in, as we keep saying over and over, these crazy times.

But you go from this really comfortable world of classes and people you know and you know the next step to being just released into a world filled with opportunity, but also filled with a lot of those opportunities being shut down.

So I know when I graduated, I wasn't in the middle of a global pandemic. It was just a regular time. But I didn't have a job, and I remember feeling so frustrated because, like Carol mentioned, I had done all the stuff.

Like, I took all the classes I needed to, I did the clubs, I had so many internships. And still, just all of these opportunities were just being shut down and I could not find a job. So I had a summer pretty much where I was paying a Brooklyn rent, which probably wasn't the smartest thing to do.

I didn't have a job, and I did what I had to do for money, walked dogs or anything, and it was a really hard, scary, kind of low time. But what I learned in that time was that I have a lot of grit and I can totally bet on myself and that I can get through those times.

So you asked, you know, how do you deal with the psychological effects. And everyone's different and I'm not a therapist, but my advice would be to just really believe in yourself and know that, even though this time really sucks, frankly, you're going to get through it and you can bet on yourself.

And now when I'm in these times of uncertainty and I look back on that really scary time, I remember, oh yeah, you know what? You got through that and you're fine. And you're in like, a pretty good place now. So just try and keep that in mind and know that you are going to be in a place looking back on this before you know it. So just really trying keep your head up and know that this is going to be over soon.

CAROL CHAN: Maggie, thank you so much for sharing that story because it really resonated with me. And I think it is important right now to share those real honest stories, because it makes us all feel just a little less alone. And that is also one additional piece of advice I want to add to this question of how to overcome psychological effects of uncertainty.

Just remember that you're truly not alone. And if you do feel alone, there are so many digital communities out there that you can connect with. Case in point, the Built By Girls community is filled with vibrant young women and-- sorry, young women and non-binary students who are online and finding inspiration with each other.

They are gaining insights, they're supporting one another. And just the other day, I saw someone sharing a business idea and being able to find a co-founder in that very group. And so it's really amazing when people come together. And beyond the tangible resources that are being shared, you're also being part of this greater community, and I think that really helps cut out the stress or the noise of our current situation as well.

DANYA SHERBINI: Awesome, thanks for answering that. And our next question is coming from Rhea. So she's asking, in times of economic uncertainty like this one, it's tempting to prioritize stability over your passions. But how do you find that balance between the two?

TIANA KARA: I can 100% relate to Rhea's question. I ran into the same issue, concern, dilemma, when I was graduating college. For me and my family, we've been so connected to the world of social impact work. And I just knew that stepping right out of college, that would be the first type of industry I would step into.

But it just so happens that there were no job opportunities that were available to me in an industry that mattered most. Whether it was supporting marginalized communities or helping the homeless, there were no opportunities available. And I knew I still needed to be able to make rent, eat, and get to where I wanted to go and live the type of life I wanted to live.

So I continued forward and just found a corporate job. Now, for some people, that can be seen as prioritizing stability. But for me, I looked at that as trying to adapt and survive and be resilient. And so that's my advice to Rhea. You may be trying to survive and be resilient. But on the side, consider how you can tap into a passion volunteering, let's say.

Potentially, you know, volunteering or support a friend who's doing some work that's similar to what you're passionate about. So step in that way. And that kind of work can then be applied to your resume or added to your resume.

And definitely a solid way to show a future employer when a social impact job does open up, something that's connected to your passion does open up, then you can show them the work that you've done and how it's applicable and how you are an incredible asset for the job.

DANYA SHERBINI: All right. Thanks, team, for answering all of those questions and thanks to everybody who asked them. And so now we turn to our last bit of advice, which is to keep practicing. Just like yoga or a sport, navigating your career is something you're going to keep having to practice over your lifetime.

For most of us, it's just not as simple as choosing one career and then not looking back. If it's that the case for you, then awesome. But if not, then don't worry. You're not alone. And over your career, there will be ups and downs, pivots and setbacks, and charting your next career steps will be this continuous process.

So the class of 2020 is graduating during some uncertain times, that much is true. But if there's any group of people who can adapt to change, it's all of you. Congratulations to the class of 2020 and all the grads out there. Team Built By Girls cannot wait to see what you have in store. That's it from Team Built By Girls. Tune in next week to hear more practical career tips that can help you launch your post grad life.