A common refrain I hear from new graduates is, “I earned my degree from X university, but I don’t know what I want to do. When I look at the ads, I don’t feel qualified for anything.” I have to admit that I felt the same way when I graduated. I think that universities need to do a better job of linking degrees with actual jobs so that graduating seniors see a clear path forward. In the meantime, newly minted job seekers continue to struggle on their own through trial and error.

There are at least three major issues that students face, lack of clarity about jobs that track to their degree, pressure to get a job — any job — and the know-how to conduct a successful job search.

Ideally, students complete internships or work-study programs that align with their degrees. This exposes them to potential career paths and helps them decide if this is the direction they want to go before they invest four or five years in a degree program. In addition, it provides actual work experience in their field and helps them build a long-term professional network. These are not typically the clients I work with because they usually launch soon after graduation.

Instead, I am contacted by the parents of those who fail to launch. Their adult children struggle with their job search, are frustrated or appear unmotivated. In truth, it is hard to look for a job when you don’t know what you are looking for or feel unqualified for anything but the most menial positions.

If this is where you are, give yourself the gift of time to explore career options. If need be, work part time in a job that gives you the wiggle room to investigate possibilities. Jumping into a job hunt with the attitude of, I’ll take anything, lends itself to a long job search with poor results. Good employers sniff out and eliminate the uncommitted. Or, worse than not landing a job is getting stuck in the wrong job and being afraid to move on.

When you have done the work to determine what kind of job you want, you need to conduct a smart job search. I always ask clients how they are looking for a job. Inevitably they tell me they are spending most of their time online looking at job postings. It is true that there are a lot of opportunities listed online; however, spending most of your time looking at them is a big mistake. By all means spend time looking for right-fit positions but limit it to 20% of your time.

Your number one priority is building and connecting with your social, professional, and online network. When you find your dream job, these are the folks who are most likely to provide access to it. They can often refer you to the hiring manager or to someone who knows the hiring manager. They can provide you with insider information about the company or act as a reference and help you close the deal. I tell my clients to carefully comb through their network for possible connections before they apply to any position. Having a connection increases the odds exponentially of you being interviewed and subsequently hired.

Mary Jeanne Vincent, career expert and strategist, has a coaching practice in Monterey. She may be reached at 831-657-9151, mjv@careercoachmjv.com or www.careercoachmonterey.com