You
control your career destiny! Just going to class and picking up your diploma
after four years doesn't cut it. You need to become active on and off campus. Becoming
marketable to employers or graduate schools is a four-year job. Here are the
top 10 things you can do during college to make yourself marketable at
job-search time. In fact, if you do all 10 of these, you'll be unstoppable:
1. Keep your grades up:
Employers and
graduate schools want candidates with good grades. That will probably never
change. Doing well academically not only proves that you have a good knowledge
base, but indicates a strong work ethic—a trait that employers value.
2. Identify your interests, skills, values,
and personal characteristics:
The first step to clarifying your career goals
is to go through a process of self-assessment. Visit your career center and
take advantage of the self-assessment instruments it has to offer.
3. Actively explore career options:
You owe
it to yourself to find a career that enriches your life, not one that brings
you down. Actively exploring careers means talking with professionals in
occupations of interest and observing professionals on the job. Your career
center probably has alumni and other volunteers who are willing to talk to you
about their careers. Also, attend any career expos, career fairs, and career
speaker panels that are offered.
4. Become active in extracurricular activities
and clubs:
Active involvement in activities and clubs on campus is highly
valued by employers and graduate schools. Joining a club is fine, but becoming
active within that club is what matters most. Become a leader, hold an office,
or coordinate an event. You will develop your skills in leadership and
teamwork—skills that recruiters covet!
5. Get involved in community service:
It's
important that you begin to understand and appreciate the importance of giving
back to your community, and that you live in a larger community than your
college or hometown. Typically, students look at community service as a chore.
After they've served, however, it's usually one of the most rewarding
experiences they've had! Recruiters love to see that you've volunteered to help
in your community.
6. Develop your computer skills:
Take
advantage of the computer courses and workshops your college offers. You can
also learn a lot by just experimenting with different software packages on your
own. Finally, you should learn how to develop your own web page or web-based
portfolio. There are many web-design software tools that make it real easy to
develop your own web page! Contact your college's information technology office
to see how to get started.
7.
Develop your writing skills:
Over and over, company and graduate school
recruiters complain about the lack of writing skills among college graduates.
Don't avoid classes that are writing intensive. Work at developing your writing
skills. If there is a writing center on campus, have them take a look at your
papers from time to time. Remember, the first impression you give to recruiters
is typically your cover letter or personal statement.
8. Complete at least one internship in your
chosen career field:
More and more, internships are the springboards to
employment and getting into graduate programs. Many recruiters say that when
they need to fill entry-level jobs, they will only hire previous interns. In
addition to making yourself more marketable, internships also are a great way
to explore careers and determine whether or not certain careers are for you.
When you work for a company as an intern for three to four months, you get a really
good feel for whether the field (and company) is one in which you want to work
day in and day out!
9. Gain an appreciation of diversity through
study abroad, foreign languages, and courses:
We are now, more than ever,
working within a global work force. For you to be successful at work and in
your life, you must stretch yourself, and learn about people and cultures
different than yours. Take advantage of the wonderful study-abroad
opportunities and the courses relating to diversity. This is your time to
travel! Most people find it harder to take time to travel as they begin their
careers and start families.
10.
Use your career center all four years:
Your college career center can
help you throughout your entire college career. Here is just a sampling of what
your career center can help you do:
o Choose your major and career direction,
o Explore career options,
o Obtain an internship,
o Write a resume and cover letter,
o Develop your interviewing skills,
o Identify your skills, interests, and values,
o Develop a job-search or graduate school plan,
o Connect you with prospective employers (career
fairs, on-campus recruiting, and more), and
o
Connect you with alumni mentors.
Remember, you control your career
destiny. Don't wait until your senior year to start realizing your goals. Your
career train is on the move. Jump on board now so you can reach your
destination!
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