With all the talk of degrees, debt, few internships and no jobs, even freshman are worried. Having a visible, authentic personal brand valdiated by experience is what hiring managers say will matter most in an AI world. Concerned families are paying thousands for early career coaching despite all the free how-to advice. They know that students naturally procrastinate and that without a long-term plan, easy steps, and accountability their freshman won't graduate with that advantage.
Most students do procrastinate and most won't get an internship, but most can't afford private coaching. That's why we created Gradplan.
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.
41% of hiring managers consider volunteer experience equal to paid work experience. LinkedIn, Global Recruiting Trends
Volunteers have 27% higher odds of employment, and the employment boost is even stronger for individuals early in their careers. AmeriCorps
When competing against AI generated resumes and GPAs that all look similar, a strong personal brand and volunteer work experience will help you stand out.
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.
Soft Skills: empathy leadership, emotional intelligence, communication, motivation, networking, interpersonal skills
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.
Soft Skills: leadership, problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, networking, teamwork, communication, work ethic
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.
Soft Skills: adaptability, empathy leadership, teamwork, motivation, problem solving, critical thinking, interpersonal skills
Sharing your valuable insight can help younger students avoid pitfalls and find success. Serving students you share a connection with is highly rewarding and will motivate you to stay engaged in volunteer work that builds evidence of soft skills employers are seeking. It's a strategic place to start growing your resume and social capital.
Increasing student engagement and success is one of our country's greatest challenges. It's the same challenge employers face with employees. Projects that signal engagement is one of your core values builds a strong base for your brand. Consistently designing or choosing projects that reflect your other core values reinforces your authentic brand.
Gaining skills, experience, and references through volunteering helps you overcome the anxiety and self-doubt that comes with being a first-time job candidate. Creating your own volunteer work also provides practice for creating gig work should you need to. Your education matters, but experience, leadership, and initiative are what set you apart.
GradPlan.com operates like a teacher led after-school program that meets monthly and has assingment due dates. By leveraging technology, free resources, and scalability we can deliver the kind of support students are more comfortable with at a cost families can easily afford.
We know getting a job is not what you want to be thinking about as you start college, but neither was getting into college in 9th grade. How did your plan or lack of one back then workout for you?
Did you graduate happy you started early and were rewarded with a less stressful senior year, scholarships, and your choice of schools? Or were you bummed you didn't because struggling to round out your college and scholarship apps was overwhelming and you wound up missing out?
Building and strengthening an authentic personal brand and creating visibilty takes time and effort. GradPlan is intentionally designed to help you spend yours wisely.
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