College grads must network to find good jobs

With unemployment remaining high, new college graduates may find their dream jobs are further away than ever, a fact that could add up to a little extra schooling in hard work.

"It's not impossible to chase after your dream job, but it's not always the first job you get," said Kishma DeCastro-Sallis, director of career services at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh.

The path to the perfect job may lead through a combination of networking and resume building.

In spite of the tough economy and changes in the job market, DeCastro-Sallis said some of the old adages still apply, especially when talking about networking. To her, that's one of the most important tidbits for recent college graduates.

Sticking with the old-school approach to finding a job, resumes remain an integral part of the job hunt. For college graduates, it's important to make sure everything is factually and grammatically correct, she said.

While looking for that ideal job, DeCastro-Sallis suggested working up to it. "Building experiences to help you get that dream job is something that (students) shouldn't discount and take lightly."

She also suggested recent graduates start looking closer at different job descriptions and the required skills. Too often, she said, students think that they have to get a position out of college that has to do with their major.

"(Students) really have to look into where they are qualified and job search that way," she said.

Another thing that many people don't think of is doing service work with local charities and organizations. "They should take the opportunity to go out somewhere and do something good for someone else," DeCastro-Sallis said.

Service, along with a good resume, experience, internships, cover letters and references, are the main bullet points for new college grads, but Christopher Franklin, author of "Access Now: Behind the Line: The Keys to Unlimited Possibilities," said the real key is to start gaining access early.

"If you don't do your networking in college, you're going to run into problems," he said.

Franklin, CEO of Titan Financial Services in Washington, D.C., is a financial adviser to star athletes. The best thing students and recent graduates can do is build their skill set and tailor it for the job market, he said.

"Right now with the economy so bad, people are not just hiring to be hiring," he said. "You have to bring a great skill set to make the employer want to shelve out the money."

Like DeCastro-Sallis, Franklin said it is vital for job hunters to network.

And the days of being choosy when job hunting is over, he said. In this complex economic climate, graduates need to know everyone there is to know in their field. Students should go to seminars, trade association meetings and all sorts of events to meet people.

The dream job may not be immediate but with time and process, Franklin said, it's there to be had.

"You have to go through a process and development before you get the big brass or golden ring," he said. "You don't hear anyone talk about getting rich quick anymore."