How to stand out in a tough job market

Dear Class of 2020: You are graduating into one of the worst economies in history. But this isn’t news to you. Many of you have already felt the impact, with summer internships and full-time job offers pulled out from under you as the depth and duration of the coronavirus pandemic truly sets in.

As a product of the last recession, I’m here to tell you that all is not lost. You will eventually land a job. It might not be in your field, but if you’re scrappy and creative, you will get there.

My path looked like this: A call center job (to pay the bills), plus a freelance writing gig (to build my resume), then graduate school (to expand my network) followed by a temporary job with a textbook company (again, to pay the bills). Then, finally, a reporting internship that turned into my first full-time journalism job.

Your path may not look like mine or your parents’ or your classmates’, and it will likely look different from what you planned. These tips from career coaches can help you stand out from the other newly minted associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree holders — not to mention the over 40 million newly unemployed workers.

Beef up your Linkedin profile

“You don’t have as much faceto-face opportunity, so it’s important to optimize online visibility,” says Debra Rodenbaugh-Schaub, a career services consultant at the Alumni Association of Kansas State University. The place to do that: LinkedIn. The professional networking platform is heavily trafficked by recruiters and hiring managers, making it crucial to put your best foot forward.

Amp up your profile with links to websites you’ve created, articles you’ve written or presentations you’ve given. You can even

NATI HARNIK — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO In this April 1, 2020, file photo, job fair specialist Kathy Zywiec, left, hands out bags containing information about employers seeking help, during a drive-through job fair in Omaha, Neb. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the planned job fair where employers were to meet face to face with prospective candidates has been reconfigured to a drivethrough event.