Welcome to the Real World ─ A Complete Guide to Job Hunting for the Recent College Grad

Sixty percent of college graduates have not found employment six to twelve months after receiving their diplomas. They continue to live at home, much to the distress of parents, spouses or partners, firing off resumes into space believing that that is the way to find the all-important first job. Their debt mounts each month and their job search yields few bona fide leads. But according to John Henry Weiss, the problem isn’t really the economy; rather, it’s that many college graduates have no idea about how to find a job in the adult world of work. In First Jobs, Weiss offers up encouraging advice for anyone trying to enter the job market for the first time.

The two main premises of this book are simple. First, Weiss, explains, companies do not hire resumes. They hire candidates who make the effort to build personal relationships. Weiss discusses the importance of leaving the house to find employers, at venues such as job fairs, trade shows, and conferences, and even coffee shops. Second, Weiss points out, is that work is a means to becoming self-sufficient, and that learning to function independently in the adult world is one of the best confidence-boosters around.

Weiss concludes each chapter with helpful work rubrics and suggested readings. The rubrics are a set of instructions emphasized in the chapter. The readings are source materials that expand the content of the chapter. Both rubrics and readings form a work library that readers can access quickly and review frequently.

John Henry Weiss began his career as a middle and high school teacher in Chicago. He has held positions in the educational publishing and technology industries with companies such as Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, D.C. Heath, The Learning Company, and Apple Computer. His corporate executive management responsibilities encompassed domestic and international sales, marketing, editorial, and product development. He has served with distinction as a faculty member of the Pennsylvania Cable and Telecommunications Association, and he was a founding member of the AAP International Copyright Committee. His involvement in K-16 education includes memberships with AEP, SIIA, and EdNet. He lives in Stockton, New Jersey.