In addition to demonstrating that you have a working knowledge of the field, you also to yourself that this industry is where you belong. Let’s use an unrelated example: when you go to a restaurant and you look at the menu, you find your mouth salivating just reading the names and descriptions of some dishes. But when the plates arrive, you find that some of these dishes are not to your liking just but that’s only out of preference. So you see, there’s a fine line between theory and practice, and this idea also applies to professions. You might enjoy the idea of a career up until the point where you find out that the people and environment aren’t for you. Why would you want to wait four years to find out that you wasted your bachelor’s degree on a career you end up waiting when you could’ve spent a summer interning to find out?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that school grades are completely useless. Doing well and having the grades to prove it does give you an edge, but only so much of one. The market is saturated with many excellent graduates, so you have to make yourself stand out by showing your interest and bypassing the need for basic training.

And so what if you went to a prestigious university? Well, if all you ever did was study then the money spent was a waste. That lump sum of a tuition you paid bought you a wedge to stick in the door of the working world. The name of the school awarded you more credibility than what you had when looking for your first job (which is equivalent to zero), as well as a chance to open your mind and to make fabulous connections. After all, not every school can have the EVP of Time Warner Cable come to speak to a small class or have the editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit do a speaking engagement while on vacation in Paris. If you have the opportunity to go to a school with great connections, take advantage of it and get ready to jot down your own experiences, instead of reading about others’.

Stinks, doesn’t it? Well, take another moment (you’re jobless, so you have lots of time) and ask yourself, “is someone for whom you would rather work.” The two big problems that you may find are that the companies not listed on career services’ job board and that they don’t seem to have any positions open on their website. But that does not mean that you should sit and wait for an opportunity to arise. What you should be doing is creating your own.

After finding a company you like, take the time to find out the key contact person. No one ever enjoys receiving an unsolicited and impersonalized email asking for an internship. Aside from researching the company, try to learn a little about your contact and his/her accomplishments. Even though you won’t be praising them in your cover letter, it is good for you to form a connection in your mind between the name on the paper and the actual person.

What follows is the most important step and your first impression: the cover letter. You’ve already done all this work, so don’t ruin everything by sending them a generic “why you should hire me.” When you’re writing, ask yourself what you really want to gain from your time there and what you can contribute. For instance, are their specific services that they provide to clients in which you’re fabulous, such as graphic design? Pick out the skills that are important to the requested position by discussing the experiences that you weren’t able to elaborate on in your résumé. Be sure to follow-up several days after sending your application, which will not only ensure that they haven’t forgotten about you, but also affirms your interest in the company.

Even though you may not receive an immediate offer, take note of two ideas. First, you’re applying to places that you really want to work for. And second, the competition pool is a lot smaller than that of career services’ at school.

This article in AdAge is a must read. The positive advice about finding employment can also be applied to advancing your career.

Don’t Let Unemployment Slow You Down: 7 Tips for Keeping Up Your Momentum in a Difficult Job Market. http://adage.com/gennext/post?article_id=138785

Thank you Adrienne for your “shout out” and mention of The Ability Project. For more from this talented young professional visit her blog: http://askamillennial.blogspot.com/

1) Do not present a resume or ask for a job in an informational interview. The purpose of your meeting should be to learn a company culture and network in your industry.

2) Arrive to the meeting prepared with thoughtful questions.

3) The informational interview is a relaxed setting to practice your answers to future interview questions (i.e. “tell me about yourself”). You should not feel as if you are in an interview or selling a product; however, this is an excellent opportunity to practice your personal brand story or pitch.

4) Follow-up is critical. Thank each contact for his/her time, information, advice. Thank-you letters should be sent via email; a hard copy should be sent through snail mail.

5) Each manager and/or executive should be updated on any progress in your career.

6) Keep good records of connections made, including dates and follow-up tasks. I personally keep a well organized, ongoing list in an excel file.

As a Generation Y, it is often difficult to know who to contact and what exchange is appropriate. I am signing up for alumni events, industry related associations and specific Meetup.com affairs.

Other personal habits I have acquired while networking are to 1) confirm meeting time and place the day before, 2) follow up with unique, outstanding stationary, 3) get a business card, and 4) remember to small talk. Small talk is an art; often when I am taking myself too seriously, I forget to ask my mentor personal details. Taking note of these personal details on the back of his/her business card is a great technique. Then when I follow up, I can ask about family, vacation, home, etc. Every little detail counts when creating lasting relationships.