This post was updated to bring you the most current tips and information in October 2020.

College health counselors are seeing a drastic rise in mental health disorders in their students. Over the course of 2019, the American College Health Association found that 87% of college students felt overwhelmed by all they had to do and 66% felt overwhelming anxiety. According to the study, one in three students was diagnosed or treated by a professional for at least one mental health disorder.

While these issues are sending more students to health counselors, they aren’t the only ones who can help students rise above their frustrations. As a career counselor, you can help by preparing students for the overwhelming job search.

(This post was updated on 7/6/2020)

Many years ago, the interview process was simplistic. 

I would still consider it nerve-wracking, but not as demanding of a process. Today’s college students need to worry about more than aligning their skills, qualifications, and experiences with the job description. 

Now they’re facing phone and video interviews for jobs that may start completely virtual. Plus, they need to understand and prepare so much more. Students need to learn the company’s mission and culture (which might be different, now that it’s virtual), find a network using social media, stay professional while texting recruiters, and discover themselves all along the way. 

The pressure of finding a well-paying job immediately after graduation is already toppling. Especially when about half of college graduates in 2020 may be headed for unemployment, according to The Hill. Adding the weight of the changing interview process is overwhelming for many of your students. 

Here’s how you can help them tackle those fears and effectively prepare for the changing interview landscape: 

Thomas is an interview pro. He says all the right things and gives the impression that he knows his stuff. In fact, when Thomas gets job interviews, he gets the jobs.

The trouble is, Thomas usually quits or is fired after only a few weeks. His lack of skills and experience were masked in the interview by his confidence and smooth-talking nature. 

Meanwhile, Beatrice has more than 10 years of experience in her field. During that time, she’s collected various honors and awards for high achievement. Co-workers turn to her first to answer questions about complicated topics or gain helpful insight into a work problem.

However, Beatrice is not a good self-cheerleader. She gets nervous in interviews and often gives odd or incomplete answers to questions. Since trying to shift her career path, Beatrice just cannot seem to get a call back after interviews, despite having the skills and experience to excel in the roles. 

Both Thomas and Beatrice could benefit from a bit of interview guidance, but for different reasons. As a career counselor, you must know how to recognize job seeker strengths and weaknesses and steer them clear of sending up interview red flags or, arguably worse, pulling the wool over interviewers’ eyes.

Here is a look into how you can help job seekers appealingly present themselves while remaining true to the facts: 

Josie Chiao, a second-year Computer Science/East Asian double major at UVA, had a daunting first experience at one of her school’s job fairs. She was overwhelmed at all the activity when she walked in 30 minutes after the start time.

“There was already so much going on,” she said. “Some students were changing into dress shoes, some already had their arms deep in swag, others were diligently taking notes and researching employers.”

As Chiao tried to get her bearings together, she was approached by a recruiter. Even though she practiced her pitch, she only got through 60 percent of what she rehearsed. Fortunately, the conversation went well enough and she was able to make a good connection.

Chiao’s story is just one example of what eager new job seekers might experience as graduation season comes into full swing. Soon-to-be graduates are already in full job-search mode and job fairs are a great way to get their foot in the door of promising companies.

In fact, the National Association of College and Employers (NACE) survey published in 2015 stated employers attend around 31 career fairs a year.

It’s imperative for career counselors to give grads proper instructions so they can gain successful networking experience through these fairs. Here are the four things you need to tell your graduates before they set out for the job fair:

A new generation is preparing to enter the workforce, so it’s time to change our approach once again. While Generation Z is similar to millennials in many ways, knowing their differences is crucial in effectively communicating and helping them reach their full career potential.

Here’s what you need to know about Generation Z’s career expectations:

Whether it’s taking a year off to backpack through Europe, or just giving yourself time to decide where your life is going — a gap-year is a healthy career move. But coming back to the job search after an extended break is undeniably intimidating.

Many family members and friends may not understand your choice for taking a gap-year, but you’re not alone. In fact, a November survey of 1,000 U.S. citizens by HostelWorld, A gap year, found a quarter of adults surveyed have taken a year off from work or school. Even though this year is used to take a break from both work and school, there are ways to come back into the workforce even better equipped than before.

Now that you’re refreshed and ready, here’s how to come back strong in 2017:

This post was updated to bring you the most up-to-date tips, October 2020.

As your career services team is prepping the future leaders of America to enter the workforce, it’s important to treat students as both mentees and employees. Exercising employee engagement techniques will not only prepare them for how employers will treat them, but also they’re a great way to keep college students focused, passionate, and motivated. 

While some students are ready to run full-force into their chosen career path, many are unaware of the challenges they’ll face upon arriving in the workplace. Unfortunately, 45% of employees do not feel their employer promotes a healthy work-life balance, according to a 2019 study from The Execu|Search Group. Additionally, 66% of professionals said that there isn’t much support for those wishing to take on leadership roles.

Keeping college students sheltered from the harsh realities of the working world is impossible. To lessen the shock, it’s essential career services gives them the tools and resources necessary to begin preparing for a career. In fact, you can use employee engagement strategies that employers use in the office every day to set them on the right path.

Here’s how to start training your college students for the big jump into their careers:

Interviews can set a naturally anxious person over the edge. Putting these personality types into a stressful situation, where self-doubt kicks in, makes it extra difficult for them to have a successful interview.

A June CareerBuilder survey, How To Rethink The Candidate Experience And Make Better Hires, of 4,505 job seekers says over 50 percent of job applicants wonder if the hiring manager is looking for someone like them. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone, but especially for those with high anxiety.

In addition to this, CareerArc surveyed 1,200 job seekers in The State Of The Candidate Experience, and found 60 percent of candidates have had a poor hiring experience. No one likes to be put back into a negative situation. This alone can create anxiety.

Inside an anxious job seeker’s mind

People with high anxiety are often stereotyped as those who are quiet, can’t stop fidgeting, or have trouble looking others in the eyes. This isn’t always the case; sometimes people who are really anxious have no outward nervous tendencies or entirely unexpected ones.

One thing they typically have in common is, job seekers with anxious impulses have fears that they’re not good enough for the job — or any job. This hit to the confidence can make anyone feel nervous in an interview, so applicants who are susceptible to high anxiety feel even more stress towards the process.

How to coach them through their anxiety

Even the greatest of therapists would tell you to never attempt to help someone with anxiety get over their fears. Rather, it’s important to coach them on how to deal with these anxieties during stressful situations — like an interview. Use these tips to help your anxious job seekers work through their next interview with confidence and ease:

In a recruiter’s pool of candidates, applicants who have never mastered professional habits like clear communication or an embrace of curiosity will stick out like a sore thumb. For your job seekers to stand out from the competition, ensure that they’re comfortable with the practices that lead to success. 

It’s always necessary to be competent with the technical skills required for the position. But a job seeker is much more likely to be a successful hire if they’re familiar with which behaviors are most beneficial in a professional setting. 

These habits are important for all job seekers to learn, no matter what stage of their career they’re in. Whether they’re fresh out of college, accepting a big promotion, or making a midlife career change, they need to establish valuable routines to earn sustained success.

Let’s take a look at the five most important professional habits they need to learn: