RECESSION PROOF GRADUATE

A Review by NSoW subscriber: Ariel Gros-Werter

Charlie Hoehn, in his free on-line e-book, “Recession-Proof Graduate”, outlines how a newly-graduated 22-year-old can become recession-proof, i.e. receive multiple job offers in under a year despite being in a recession.

His plan is fairly simple in essence; reject the old job search methods. Rather, offer “free work” to gain employers’ trust and show your skills, with the understanding that while there is no immediate payoff, you can theoretically do non-paying projects of your choice for companies you like with the hope that after they have come to know and trust you they will create a job for you in their company.

Unlike an internship, Hoehn claims, free work lets you avoid competing with others for advertised internships, and allows you to control your work by offering companies a 1-3 week project that you have thought out for their own benefit. This is ideal for them, Hoehn explains, because they don’t have to think up a project for you or babysit you as you work, and they will accept your idea because there’s effectively no risk on their side – they don’t have to meet you or have you in their office, and since they’re not paying you if they don’t like your work they can reject it and forget it happened.

Hoehn’s idea of free work has both pros and cons. An advantage is that you set your own work schedule (just make sure you complete the project within the deadlines). You choose companies you like, and set your own project parameters so you’re always doing work that’s interesting to you. Furthermore, you will gain great connections and potentially a job if you do quality work.

A negative is that this can be a difficult path; you should only go for it if you can fully commit. Doing unpaid freelance work for months can be difficult. It takes consistent dedication and discipline which is hard for many to sustain without a reward in sight. If you can keep to it, this method may reward handsomely, but before starting on this route carefully consider whether you’re up for the challenge. It can be difficult to focus on unpaid projects for weeks on end when there’s always another job to apply for or other more immediate-gain job-search items on the to-do list.

Additionally, with college loans to pay back, high health care costs, and a desire to immediately move out of parents’ homes to live independently, freelancing for free can be financially draining, while also insecure of rewards (there’s no guarantee you’ll be hired).

Hoehn claims we need to stop thinking we are entitled to a paycheck. I believe that if you are doing work for a company, there should be a benefit, whether monetary or otherwise. You should be willing to work without monetary compensation – not because you don’t deserve it, but because the time working is an investment towards getting a job, gaining experience or a good line on your resume. Hoehn is right that we shouldn’t define work simply as something we do for pay; however when choosing work always consider what benefit you gain, whether monetary, good will, or otherwise.

Free work is much easier to do in some professions and skill ranges than in others. If you are marketing yourself as a website designer, it is simple to send a redone prototype of a company homepage. However, most jobs are heavily administratively-based (in a broad sense of the word) and so are difficult to accomplish without either being in the office or using private company information (which HR may not let you have without a non-disclosure agreement).

Offering to do work for free is a great way to make connections and gain a company’s trust. However, to avoid sounding cocky as if you know what the company needs better than an employee of 20-years, offer your project idea as a suggestion only while putting the main emphasis on helping with whatever will be most useful. This unfortunately may result in not working on projects you are interested in, but will succeed in the main purpose of gaining the company’s favor.

Hoehn is dead-on that as a recent graduate, skills are key. Experience is certainly a plus, because working professionally is different than doing college work, but employers want to see you can work in an office environment at the bottom of the hierarchy. More important than experience, employers want to know you have the skills to do the job and can learn the rest. However, it is hard to prove ability without showing it, so decide which skills you need to prove and figure out other ways to showcase them, be it writing samples or community event planning or designing your own webpage.

It is necessary to have something to show for your job-searching time. I was asked at two interviews, “what have you been doing?” That, I learned, was not just a question of how I pass my time. The interviewer wants to know that I am enhancing my skills and maintaining my focus.

It is even better to have material results of what you have accomplished, both for the interviewer and for your own mental confidence. Nothing is worse than feeling you’ve wasted months with nothing to show for it. Volunteer or learn a language; do something that you can look back on and see results. Better yet, find an activity to do everyday or 3-4 times a week to maintain a sense of regularity in your life.

Hoehn suggests it is cheaper and more useful to skip grad school and gain knowledge from experience or reading. While in some professions having a Masters degree may not be as important as having the knowledge, it may be hard to get the experience needed to gain knowledge without a higher degree. This is also highly dependant on the professional field in question. In some fields, having the degree is less important while in other professions a higher degree is necessary to advance beyond low-level jobs, such as in research and public health.

Hoehn comments on controlling your web presence. Start a blog, create a LinkedIn account and join other groups, anything so that a Facebook page with drunk photos won’t be in the first 3 entries if a potential employer does a Google search of you. If you can’t delete it, hide it. College may be in the past, but it can still haunt you. Having a well-written blog pop up allows you to show off your writing skills while also displaying a human side amidst a sterile job application process. I suggest this be started long before graduation. A blog is most credible when it’s been maintained for months, so start early and cut the dead-time.

Hoehn’s article presents interesting ideas for a recent college graduate. However, his ideas do not apply to everyone. His concept of free work is golden for some professions and skills, but is impractical for others. It can also be extremely difficult to maintain the needed discipline for months. However, offering to work for free is a great way for a recent college graduate to gain a company’s favor. It is one option for a regular activity and something to show for time spent job-searching. Additionally, do things which display your skills, which are often more important than experience. Lastly, control your web presence to present yourself professionally on the internet.