For anyone who’s recently graduated from school, you’re likely either in the middle of a job search, or you recently finished one. In either case, you’ll have no doubt executed a facepalm at some point, screaming “Why does every junior engineering gig this side of the equator require 2-4 experience?!?”. And if you do actually find a job you’re qualified for, it probably doesn’t look at though you’ll be getting much in the way of varied experience or professional development.

Luckily, there’s an app for that. Okay, well, not really. But there is a solution.

The solution is finding a New Graduate program to apply to. When I graduated, I was accepted into a New Grad program and it was an amazing experience. Here’s why I think it might work for you.

New Graduate Programs

If you’re unfamiliar with the idea, a number of companies have programs developed that specifically target students who have recently graduated from university. These programs are meant to attract and retain top talent when that talent is still young so that a) they’re not crazy expensive, and b) there’s a chance to invest in and hang on to that talent for a number of years. These programs represent an excellent opportunity for recent grads for a number of reasons. They’re typically targeted at top-performing students, they don’t expect you to have experience, and they’ll give you a more holistic development experience than most other “normal” entry-level positions.

Join the Cream of the Crop

Probably the best thing about New Grad programs is that these programs typically recruit top-of-class people. They almost have to in order to mitigate the risk they take on by hiring inexperienced people.  By hiring students who have proven themselves in an academic setting, the chances that they’ll be duds at the office is minimal. Companies are happy to do this because they’re getting great people at entry-level rates. The big benefit I want to point out here is that if you’re accepted, you’ll be joining a team of A-Players (i.e. the other people who were accepted). This is excellent news for you from two standpoints.

1. You’ll be spending time learning from and working with other excellent people. These people will be your friends and colleagues for the rest of your life. In my case I’m still in regular contact with most of my colleagues from the New Grad program I attended, even though I graduated from it over three years ago and am now working with a new employer in a new city.
2. If you’re selected for the program, you’ll have been independently identified as an A-player yourself. The fact that you were selected for a highly competitive program really stands out on a resume, and earns you credentials inside and outside your company. That seal of approval is a powerful thing in terms of marketing your skills and abilities throughout your career.

Holistic Development

New Graduate programs are typically developed to have a significant development component to them. In my experience, up to half of my week was spent on leadership, communications, and business skills development. Naturally, there was real work in there as well, but it was always coupled with the soft skills development that I was getting. I was able to take on a project management role on my first week on the job in my New Graduate program. I was also able to join client relationship management teams and develop new business for my company. That was an incredible experience that the vast majority of recent grads don’t get a chance to try their hand at. Beyond the soft skills, you may also get the chance to see other technical areas of your company or work in other offices to get a bird’s eye view of the company as a whole.

No Experience Needed!

It’s true. Since these programs are looking specifically for new graduates, your lack of work experience is rendered null and void in terms of being a detriment to your application. Now, that’s not to say you shouldn’t take advantage of volunteer opportunities or co-op programs – experience is still good for you and your career – but it’s not mission-critical to getting into a New Grad program.

Next Steps

If you’re just about to graduate or have recently graduated, you should look into what companies offer these kinds of programs in your area, or across the country. They represent an amazing opportunity to kick-start your career.

If you liked this article, let me know if the comments below! Have you ever been part of a New Grad program? What was your experience like?