Feeling anxious about life after college graduation?

With all the talk of degrees, debt, and no jobs or internships, even freshmen are worried. In times of uncertainty, focusing on things you can control helps. In a competitive entry-level job market, employers say building real‑world project experience, soft skills and a strong online presence matters more than a degree alone. Campus career services are free, but some families are paying thousands for early career coaching because they know that without a clear plan, easy steps, and motivational support their student isn't likely to follow through.

Their reasoning probably holds true for most students, unfortunately most students can't afford a coach. That's why we created GradPlan.com.

Introducing GradPlan.com

We are a professional and career development community for college students. Most of our members are on paths that lead to a competitive entry-level job market. The shared strategies and goals we facilitate help them do what's required outside the classroom to build a job search advantage. A step-by-step plan, quality volunteer work experience, and highly interactive Zoom meetups make it easy for our members to work together on building up their skills and experience, their professional brand, and their visibility.

Students have free access to career services and all the information they need. The gap we're filling is a framework that inspires them to use it. The unique space we created to motivate and empower them do great work costs less than $20 a month.

Employers value professional development communities and employees who seek opportunities to improve their skills. When they see Gradplan.com on your resume or social media or hear your impact stories in interviews, they'll know your values are aligned and you've been developing the essential and soft skills they're looking for.

Why It Matters

Employers Are Paying Attention

70% of recruiters engage with candidates on social media daily and 89% say social media helps them understand a candidate's values. WorldMetrics.org

73% of hiring managers use social media to evaluate applicants, mainly to confirm cultural fit and verify application details. Resume Builder Survey

82% of hiring managers are more likely to choose a candidate with volunteer experience.

 

85% of hiring managers are more inclined to look past resume flaws when the candidate includes volunteer work, yet only 30% list it on their resumes.

 

92% of employers agree that volunteering improves leadership and professional skills.

Deloitte, Impact Survey

92% of companies report that soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills in today’s business world. Deloitte Insights

 

84% of employees and managers believe new employees must possess soft skills and demonstrate this in the hiring process.

 

The most valuable soft skill for recruits is communication and the most valuable skill for advancing in your career is leadership.

BNG Survey Study

The Strategy, Goals, and Values that Unite Our Community

A Step-by-Step Plan

Build the Foundation for Your Authentic Personal Brand

  • Identify your values, interests, and story
  • Craft your LinkedIn Bio and Profile
  • Grow your online presence and network

Strengthen Your Brand Through Quality Volunteer Work

  • Align work with brand development
  • Turn class projects into work experience
  • Earn credentials that validate your skills

Practice Telling Your Story and Increase Your Visibility

  • Translate skills to your resume effectively
  • Build impact stories for your interviews
  • Build trust, credibility, and visibility

Quality Volunteer Work

   PeerTakes   

Leverage your personal assets and experience to serve as a mentor

Work with your old high school or a campus organization to create mentoring opportunities aimed at increasing student engagement and success. Inspire younger students by sharing stories about your own successes and failures.

Skills: communication, collaboration, empathy leadership, emotional intelligence, motivation, networking, interpersonal skills, work ethic, teamwork

   Impact Collabs   

Use your firsthand knowledge to improve student services

Align class projects or form collaborations to improve organizations you are part of, support the work of education and workforce development leaders, or help any program better serve students.

Skills: communication, leadership, collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking, networking, teamwork, work ethic, interpersonal skills

   Teach It Back   

Share your knowledge to help other students succeed

Create your own internship or learn how to use tools, data, workforce development initiatives, or resume and interview strategies to become a stronger job candidate. Then create opportunities to educate and lift others. 

Skills: communication, leadership, adaptability, empathy leadership, teamwork, motivation, problem solving, critical thinking, interpersonal skills 

Shared Strategy and Personal Goals

Essential and Soft Skills

Helping younger students avoid pitfalls and find success, especially those you share a connection with, is highly rewarding. It motivates you to continue working on projects that build evidence of soft and essential skills employers are seeking. It is an impactful and meaningful place to start adding projects to your LinkedIn or posts for your socials.

Brand Values and Metrics

Increasing student engagement is one of our country's greatest challenges. The global cost of disengaged employees is $8.8 trillion annually. Adding projects to your resume that reflect engagement is one of your core values helps strengthen your brand. And projects that produce metrics about your impact will give your resume and interviews a boost.

Social Capital and Confidence

Gaining experience and social capital by collaborating and volunteering helps you overcome the anxiety and self-doubt that comes with being a first-time job candidate. Creating your own volunteer work is also great practice for creating gig work. A degree matters, but experience, leadership, and initiative build confidence and set you apart.

Community Core Values and Competencies

Community Values

  • S

Volunteer Work

  • Maximize impact on society and your resume
  • Be curious about and improve student services
  • I

Zoom Meetups

  • Clear purpose and structure
  • Active participation
  • Real-time Engagement
  • Collaborative Tasks
  • Clear Next Steps

How it Works

Use Your Sample Plan as a Guide to Map and Manage Your Strategy

You will recieve a sample plan and resource list based on the questionaire you submit at sign up. Our workgroup facilitators post a monthly schedule of their Zoom events. Each meetup is dedicated to discussing one of the 9 steps or 3 project styles you can choose to work on and multiple time slots are available. Start working your plan and join Zoom meetups to help facilitate your progress or collaborate with others working on the same step. 

Participate in Zoom Meetups to Stay Motivated and On Track

Meetups are interactive Q&A sessions and links to resources open for discussion are listed on the events calendar. Signing up helps members set aside time to be productive. If you are too busy to stay thely pop-in for a few minutes, at least some progress is being made. The past events calendar provides easy access to the Zoom recording and transcript. Some clips that standout might make it into our video and podcast libray.

Use Zoom Meetups to Grow Your Network and Networking Skills

Meetups connect students from different majors, backgrounds, and even campuses. Interacting is a way to practice skills like introducing yourself at a job fair or networking event. Forming groups and working in breakout rooms on things like interview practice or to collaborate on volunteer projects is encouraged. Signing up for the same meetup again before you leave makes finding a time to work together again easy. 

It’s déjà vu!

We know applying for jobs isn't what you want to think about as you start college just like applying for college wasn't what you wanted to think about in 9th grade.

But if you were one of the students who started early and did just a little every month, you likely earned scholarships and are at your dream school. If you started late and fell short on extracurriculars, you were likely stressed and missed some opportunities.

Start following the advice from hiring managers sooner rather than later. Whether you like to pace yourself, need to catch up, or have to really hustle, we hope you'll join our community so we can help you graduate with a job search advantage.

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