Successful Cuse alum gave us the inside secrets on getting a job after graduation

For the class of 2016, the end is looming near and for those still on the job hunt things are getting stressful.

We asked some recent grads and current seniors how to get a job after graduation.

Emily Doyle, Class of 2015

Emily Doyle started Syracuse as a Sculpture major and switched to CRS the second semester of her junior year. Emily is the Executive Assistant to the Publisher of Vanity Fair, a Conde Nast publication. She worked freelance at a luxury spirits company prior to this job where she began work two weeks after graduation.

While transitioning careers she was always looking for new jobs and sending hundreds of applications a month via LinkedIn. She found her current job through LinkedIn.

“An HR person from Conde Nast posted the title and description early one morning. I saw it and immediately emailed her a long note with my resume attached and crossed my fingers (and toes) that she would write me back. She did and here I am!”

What advice do you have for seniors searching for jobs?

“To any Senior who is still looking for a job post graduation I would say don’t take yourself too seriously and don’t get down on yourself about it. The second you lose confidence in yourself and your abilities, is when you stand in your own way of getting a job. You have to be your own best advocate and truly be able to convince someone else of your worth. You can’t do that if you’re feeling discouraged. Be positive!”

Megan Bednarczyk, Senior

Megan is a Communication Design major. She was offered a job as Art Director for DigitasLBI after she interned there last summer. She didn’t have to send any job applications, but she applied to many internships last year. Megan learned how to navigate LinkedIn with help from Career Services and considered it a huge help when she was searching for internships and connecting with alumni.

“It definitely made a difference for me in finding internships which lead to my job.”

What advice do you have for seniors searching for jobs?

“Definitely take advantage of the vast alumni network we have at Syracuse. It is one of the biggest perks of going here. Most of them love hiring Syracuse students and are very willing to help you out in the job search. Talent plays a role but opportunities are given to you through the connections you have. It is essential in getting any job.”

Amy Brown, Class of 2014

Amy was an Advertising major in Newhouse. She is currently a Digital Coordinator of Branded Entertainment at The Ellen DeGeneres Show.  Amy applied for the position through LinkedIn, and although she didn’t use any Syracuse connections to land this job, she believes the connections she made because of Syracuse have been and will continue to be incredibly important.

What advice do you have for seniors searching for jobs?

“Be patient. I reached all phases of interviewing throughout my applications: no response, first interview with no follow up, three rounds with no final offer, an offer I turned down and then finally the offer I wanted. Don’t settle for something you won’t be happy with because you think you have to find a job NOW. Syracuse is an amazing university and if you work hard, you will find the right fit that will set you up for the future you want.”

“Make as many connections as possible. Even if they don’t follow through with a job, there isn’t one connection I’ve made that wasn’t helpful in one way or another.”

“Be yourself. I truly believe people thrive in environments where they can be themselves. This is going to be your future, and you spent all of college trying to find yourself – don’t lose it now.”

Alix Krol, Senior

Alix is a Information Management and Technology major and Marketing minor. Her junior year Alix went to GE’s booth at the Career fail in the Carrier Dome, talked to one of their representatives, and was interviewed on the spot. A week later she was offered a summer internship in Cincinnati, after her experience she applied to work full time and got the job.

“GE Aviation, Information Technology Leadership Program (ITLP). It is a two year program where you switch jobs every six months (and locations too!) while getting your Masters from IU (Indiana University). The cool thing about this job is that you get to pick your job. And with my major, (where we pick focus areas) they work well together, because I can try four different jobs  in areas that interest me before settling in one.”

What advice do you have for seniors searching for jobs?

“Don’t give up, your first job isn’t meant to be perfect or your dream job, it is supposed to help give you more experience in your field of study.  You don’t really know where the world is going to take you so be open to anything and everything.” 

Cassie DiLaura, Class of 2015

Cassie majored majored Broadcast and Digital Journalism in Newhouse. Cassie started working at CelebTV after a friend who had interned with the company recommended that she apply. She emailed the executive producer, and got the job.

At CelebTV wrote, produced, and hosted entertainment news stories that aired digitally on Comcast, MSN, and Hulu as well as 50 other national and international partners, accumulating about 25 million views per month. She was with CelebtTV for five months before the parent company shut it down.

What advice do you have for seniors searching for jobs?

“The biggest piece of advice I can give to a senior after graduation, which they probably won’t want to hear, is have patience. I will never forget how awful I felt after graduation. I was jobless living at home with my parents in Michigan. I felt stuck seeing that my friends were getting jobs left and right, while I had nothing. I realized that the right job would come around when it was meant to and I truly believe it did. With that being said, it is also important not into rush into a job just for the sake of it. I didn’t get the first job I wanted, which looking back on now, I am grateful for because I probably would have just taken it since it was the only offer on the table. I couldn’t be more happy with my first job out of school and the opportunities I was presented with. Without the skills I learned at Syracuse, however, none of it would have been possible.”

To the seniors out there looking for jobs, know that your day will come. Whether it be tomorrow with a job offer for your dream company, or a few months after graduation at a company that you never considered, don’t lose hope!

Syracuse has prepared you for a successful future.