McGill Alumni Portal

With graduation come job applications. Applying for any position is difficult; it requires research, writing about yourself and putting your fate into somebody else’s hands. Altogether, far too many reasons to procrastinate!

Worst of all, applying too often implies rejection. An employer’s decision says as much about them than it does the applicant. That said, rejection, as the saying goes, sucks. Unfortunately, landing a job, let alone finding one that you are passionate about, has only become more difficult for young alumni.

Over the past few years, the global economic slow-down has had drastic effects on employment across the world. According to the International Labour Organization’s most recent report on Global Employment Trends, high unemployment and low-wage growth represent a particular challenge for developed economies. Youth, aged 15 to 24, are almost three times as likely to be unemployed as adults, and those lucky few who are employed are more likely to be working part-time or on temporary contracts. According to the Associated Press, half of young college graduates in the U.S. are jobless or unemployed. Although Canada is believed to have largely been spared from the global recession, skilled positions remain hard to come by: Only 1,300 net jobs have been created since the end of the recession for young Canadians. For those McGillians about to doff their cap in June, these facts may provide cause for concern.

Fortunately, they can find solace in the fact that they are also joining the ranks of thousands of alumni breaking new ground in every field. Rejection is inevitable, but so is career success if you leverage your McGill network to your advantage. Join thousands of other professionals who share your degree on LinkedIn, network with fellow grads, and follow companies that you would love to work for.

Alumni young and old form a distinct community that gives greater meaning to their prestigious degrees. Indeed, McGillians of all stripes share a love of learning and a commitment to excellence. McGill grads are most keenly aware that your degree can bring value to their organization. Instead of fighting an uphill battle in an uncertain economy,  look for guidance from your strongest supporters – other McGill grads.