Your child has worked hard for years – exams, university applications, internships – and now it’s time for their first real job. At this point, many parents feel a mix of pride and anxiety: “What if they can’t get any offers?” “Should I step in, or will that make things worse?” “Are we already behind compared to other families?” From our work at TROUVÉ EXECUTIVE in Executive Search & Selection and Student & Graduate Career Coaching, we see the same patterns again and again. W

When I ask students and graduates how their job search is going, I often hear one of two answers: “Honestly… I haven’t done much yet.” “I’m applying everywhere, but nothing is happening.” In other words: either too little (waiting and worrying) or too much (randomly applying without focus). What’s missing in both cases is a clear, realistic roadmap. In this article, I’ll outline what an effective 4–8 week job search plan actually looks like for students and graduates, the com