The Future Gets
Hard to Ignore
Graduation is close enough to feel real, and the search gets easier once your student names the part that's least clear.
What they may be feeling
Graduation is close enough now that the future can feel hard to ignore. Students may be balancing classes, applications, interviews, networking, and uncertainty about what the job market will look like when they graduate.
What may be happening
Your student has enough experience to begin making more informed choices, but they may still feel pressure to find the “right” answer quickly. Job titles, industries, locations, salary, and AI-driven changes to the workplace can make the search feel bigger than it needs to be.
The Career Check-In
Ask what part of the transition feels least clear right now. Is it knowing what roles to target, finding opportunities, building connections, interviewing, or deciding between options? Start there.
Three Questions to Ask About the Search
These work best as one relaxed conversation, and your graduate's answers will show you both where the search stands.
Do you know what kind of work you want to try first?
When a graduate isn't sure what they want, every posting looks like a possible fit, and applying to all of them is exhausting. Choosing two or three roles to test gives them a list they can manage and revise as they learn.
What's one opportunity you've ruled out that might be worth a try?
Graduates often pass on roles, cities, or conversations that feel like a stretch. A first job mostly teaches them what they want next, so one application or one message outside their comfort zone costs little and gives them real information.
What would you change about your last interview?
Interviewing is a skill that improves with practice and review. A graduate who can name one answer that worked and one that didn't has something specific to practice before the next one.
Any question they can't answer yet is a good place to start.
Name the biggest gap in their current job search and complete one action that moves it forward before the end of the week.
Identify five companies to research and reach out to one alum working at one of them.
See Another Stage
What Recruiters Notice in an Entry-Level Resume
After years of reading entry-level resumes, we've noticed that the summer job a student barely mentions is often their strongest material. This four-page guide shows your student how a recruiter reads their experience and how to write it so the skills come through.
Download the free guide