Question: I finished my Commerce (Accounting) degree in Dec 2005 and I am struggling soo much to get work. Please Help!! I finished my Commerce degree with a major in Accounting and minors in Finance and Commercial Law. While there are a lot of opportunities and jobs available everyday here in South Australia, no one seems to be giving me a chance to be employed with an accounting firm. My resume is the best that it can possibly be after spending 2 weeks with the careers centre at my university. The only thing I can't change are my grades which aren't all that great. There are some subjects which I just passed while failing 5 of them. I repeated the necessary ones though and got through them ok. But I don't understand how all these people around me are finding work so easily and I can't seem to get through. I've been looking for work since January 2006 and out of the 40 or so jobs that I have applied for, I was only interviewed for 2-3 of those and I didn't even get passed THAT stage. I don't know what to do anymore. It's becoming so stressful and depressing! :(

Answer: I definitely feel your pain, and you have my very best wishes, not only for finding a job, but for finding the patience to wait out the interminable hunt.\n\nI'm not a resident of South Australia, but I did a quick search and discovered that the current jobless rate is somewhere near 5%. Apparently that's somewhat of an improvement over previous periods, but the only people happy with a 5% unemployment rate are the people that don't have to look for a job.\n\nThere are ways to improve your chances of being hired, but no guarantees. Here's some general advice - do with it what you will:\n\nFirst of all, it's not clear to me that your spotty academic record is keeping you from getting considered for jobs. It sounds like you're not even being offered interviews for many of the positions you're applying for - and at that point, unless things work differently in South Australia, the person evaluating your resume isn't even aware of what your grades were like. I think the first thing you need to worry about is figuring out why you're not getting your foot in the door.\n\nWhen hiring officers receive a stack of applications, you have to realize that most of them look very much alike. A quick scan of all the resumes confirms that the candidates have the minimally required education for the position - and then the officer needs to winnow down a very similar stack.\n\nOne strong weapon in your arsenal is the cover letter. Put together a letter that highlights your strengths, using powerful words that make you sound enthusiastic, dedicated, determined, a quick learner, etc. One often overlooked step is to do some background research about the company that you're applying to - know what it is that this company does - and incorporate that knowledge into your correspondence. If the company does accounting for the medical industry, speak specifically of your interest (and knowledge?) about medical billing - if the company does accounting for corporations, write about your interest in corporate ethics and securities regulation.\n\nKeep the letter short and to the point. Tell your reader that you are highly motivated to succeed and that you're the kind of person who works extra hours until the work is done, rather than a clock watcher. But definitely demonstrate that you've done your homework, and that you know something about the business - hiring managers LOVE that.\n\nOnce you've got your foot in the door for an interview, arrive early - dress better than the people you hope to be working with - look the interviewer in the eye, shake hands firmly - answer questions thoughtfully, and be sure to thank the interviewer for his or her time - and write a follow-up thank you note directly to that person.\n\nHang in there. I've been exactly where you are - and I really understand how difficult and frustrating it can be. Best of luck to you!
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