When I
meet students who are beginning college for the first time, they always ask,
“When should I visit Career Services?” The short answer is, freshman year. By
coming to Career Services long before you need us, we can help guide you in the
direction you will need depending on your career choice. Although, we do offer
yearly timelines on our website which outline
what students should accomplish each year., It’s never too soon for a student to
begin a conversation with their career services office.
While
it doesn’t make sense to begin looking for a job and applying to companies as a
freshman, it does make sense to begin gathering information on what careers
require and what employers expect from college graduates. By researching,
asking questions, compiling relevant work accomplishments and getting good
grades, you can help build a robust résumé and get ahead of the game. With
that, here are five things that can help students get started long before they
walk across the stage to receive their diplomas.
1.
Research your career field: Become familiar with the
types of skills employers expect someone coming out of college to have.
Depending on the industry, would you need to be proficient with certain computer
applications, or what licenses would you be required to possess in the state
where you reside? Also, you may need to understand what issues surround your
industry and who the competitors are. It’s best to become aware of issues people
may be worried about, or hiring trends that can have an impact on the career you
choose. You can find that out, and more, by keeping up with trade publications,
journals, newspapers and other periodicals for your field.
2.
Network with people in your industry or join associations: One of the best ways to begin learning about your chosen industry is to
talk with people who are currently working in it; another is to join related
associations. Trade associations are a great resource, and the fee for students
to join is minimal. Regardless of when you graduate, you can start now to learn
more about your field and the opportunities it could offer. This lets you build
the important personal relationships that will help you launch your career and
maintain it. It never hurts to begin talking now to your professors, your
parents, relatives, and your connections on LinkedIn, and everyone else you run
into day-to-day. Start by telling people you are gathering ideas and advice
related to your potential career and you’ll be surprised at how much people want
to share stories and help you.
3.
Become aware of helpful search engines and job listings: At Post University, the Career Services
Office has compiled a list of over 1,800 web links to help students research,
and look for jobs. In the Degrees by Major section of
the Career Services’ website, each major – undergraduate and graduate – is
represented and displays a variety of helpful links that students can use, at
any stage in their college career. By searching job postings and becoming familiarized
with what is going on in any industry, a student can get a leg up on the
competition when it comes time to interview for internships and jobs. By doing
so, students can keep their eyes on current job listings –not so much with the
idea of applying for them, but to learn from them. What skills do the employers
seem to be looking for the most? What experiences do the employers seem most
interested in? Also, where are the most positions becoming available?
4.
Participate in internships or volunteer work: Not only
does this give a student valuable skills and accomplishments to help build a
robust résumé, it can help them decide if their path is one they really
want to pursue. Also, many majors will require students to complete at least one
internship before graduation. By knowing this, a student can take the necessary
classes to help prepare them for future endeavors. Finally, if a student does
decide that the major they chose is not the one for them, by knowing this ahead
of time it will give them the opportunity to change majors while still having
time to fulfill the requirements needed to graduate on time.
5.
Begin compiling a résumé now: Create an account in
Optimal Résumé and begin putting
accomplishments on paper. There are a variety of formats in each major that we
have created for Post University students. To get a good idea of what an
effective resume could look like, we also encourage students to view other
résumé formats related to their majors. I say to students, “If you think now
that you don’t have anything to put on paper, you may be surprised.” This
program can provide ideas to help you get started.
The
timing may not always be right in regard to finding and interviewing for a
position, but it’s never too early to begin career development. The personal
relationships a student can build, and the potential knowledge they can gain
will only help prepare them for the future. As graduation approaches, students
have their minds on other things. However, I encourage them not to wait until
the last minute. By graduation, there are already many graduates across the
country who are ahead of the game and more prepared. With this competition,
students need to be on mark and ready for the race.
Therefore, it is
never too early to begin a conversation with the Career Services office. We are
here to guide, provide ideas, and help students put their best foot forward once
they find that perfect opportunity. Good luck and we look forward to meeting
you.
