How to find a job as a recent college graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has left millions out of work.

Open positions are few and far between.

So how does a 2020 college graduate start his or her career at this time?

Cathy Lanzalaco, CEO of Inspire Careers, has the dos and don’ts of searching for a job as a recent college grad.

She specializes in helping find recent college graduates jobs.

ALREADY HIT THAT 20%NUMBER...AS WE BEGIN TOREBOUND FROM THISPANDEMIC -- WE'RECOMMITTED TOHELPING YOUNAVIGATE THECHALLENGES THATCOME WITH THINGSOPENING BACK UPAGAIN.TONIGHT 7EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER OLIVIAPROIA IS HAVING ACANDIDCONVERSATION WITHCOLLEGE GRADS WHOARE LOOKING AHEADTO THEIR CAREERS ASTHEY BEGIN TO ENTERTHE WORKFORCE..

ALLWHILE IN THE MIDDLEOF A PANDEMIC..DEONISS JACKSON ISTHE FIRST PERSON INHER FAMILY TOGRADUATE COLLEGE.DEONISS: I FEEL VERYUNGRADUATED.DEFINITELY.

FOR SURE.JACKSON RECEIVED ADEGREE IN CRIMINALJUSTICE AT SUNYFREDONIA... BUT LIKESO MANY OTHERSENIORS THIS YEAR,SHE DIDN'T GET TOWALK ACROSS STAGE.DEONISS: NOT BEINGABLE TO WALK ACROSSTHE STAGE WAS THEBIGGEST PART FORSURE.

IT'S LIKE YOUPAID IT OFF.

EVERYONEIS THERE TOCELEBRATE YOU.EMILY BUROW IS INTHE SAME BOAT.

SHEGRADUATED FROMCANISIUS COLLEGEWITH A DEGREE INANIMAL BEHAVIOR,ECOLOGY ANDCONSERVATION.THERE WAS NO CAP,NO GOWN, ANDNOW.... NO JOBS.EMILY: I DON'T HAVEANYTHING RIGHT NOW.I'M KIND OF HAVING TOCHANGE EVERYTHING.I'M GOING TO GET MYCERTIFIED SPECIALDOG TRAINING LICENSEIN SEPTEMBER AND DOJUST DOG TRAINING ONTHE SIDE FOR A LITTLEBIT UNTIL I CAN GET MYFOOTING AGAIN ANDMOVE FORWARD.CATHY LANZALACO ISTHE CEO OF INSPIRECAREERS.

SHE SAYSBUROW IS DOINGEXACTLY THE RIGHTTHING - KEEPING UPWITH HER SKILLS ANDDEMONSTRATINGTHEM UNTIL SHE CANFIND A JOB.CATHY: EMPLOYERSARE LOOKING FORPEOPLE WHO CAN DOTHE JOBS AND YOUCAN DEMONSTRATEWHAT YOU'RE DOINGAND THEY WANTPEOPLE WHO ARECONSTANTLYLEARNING.IT'S NO SECRET THEJOB MARKET IS NOT-SO-HOT RIGHT NOW.DEONISS: IT'S REALLYHARD TO GET BACKINTO IT, ESPECIALLY IFYOU WERE COMING INAT A LOW LEVEL ANDWORKING YOUR WAYUP THE RANKS,ESPECIALLY IF YOURCAREER FIELD ISCLOSED RIGHT NOW.CATHY: WE'RE NOTGOING TO PRETENDTHAT THERE AREN'TMILLIONS OF PEOPLEOUT OF WORK.

WE'RENOT GOING TOPRETEND THAT THEPANDEMIC HAS NOTHAPPENED.EMILY: I'VE BEENLOOKING ON INDEEDAND I HAVEHANDSHAKE ANDLINKEDIN ANDEVERYTHING THROUGHSCHOOL AND THERE'SJUST NOT A LOT RIGHTNOW.EVEN IF THERE ARNO POSTINGS IN YOURDESIRED FIELD, YOUCAN PUT YOUR NAMEOUT THERE THROUGHNETWORKING.CATHY: REACH OUT TOPEOPLE AND TALK TOTHEM, EVEN IF THATMEANS ON ZOOM,MAYBE THAT MEANS ONTHE TELEPHONE.

ONCEYOU START PUTTINGTHESE ACTIVITIES INTOACTION, YOU'LL BESURPRISED HOWQUICKLY THINGSHAPPEN.OLIVIA PROIA, 7EWN.