How to Get an Early Start on Your Career Before Graduation
Guest Post By: Brittany Elyse
No matter what your reasons are for attending college, there’s one primary goal that pretty much everyone can agree on: to be employed and have a fulfilling career; not just a job. However, between studying for exams, going to parties and participating in campus events, this goal often takes a back seat to other priorities. In fact, many students don’t even realize what career development resources are available to them until they are near graduation, or have already graduated.
There are several advantages to exploring career opportunities at your school early on. Many of these resources can help you be better prepared for the real world and possibly even employed by the time you graduate. So what are you waiting for? Here are a few ways to maximize your college or university’s career development resources before you graduate.
Get a Head Start
Your academic advisor is a great resource that can guide you in the right direction. Be sure to ask them about your school’s career services department and who may be a good point of contact for your particular area of interest. This will help you to narrow your focus the closer you get to graduation, allowing you to have more realistic expectations of potential career paths in the future.
Career Services Center
Once you connect with someone at your school’s career services center, you’ll have access to certain internships and co-ops that are available in your field. Get to know your career services representatives and talk candidly with them about your interests, goals and aspirations. They can help provide guidance on which opportunities may best align with your interests and skill sets, and even help you create a professional resumé that will catch the eyes of recruiters and top talent acquisition specialists. Be sure to learn the difference between internships and co-ops to better determine which makes the most sense for your career path. Career centers often post current job postings via a bulletin or online website to make students aware of various job opportunities, so check in frequently to stay up-to-date on what’s out there.
Societies, Clubs & Associations
Getting involved in various campus societies, clubs and student associations can be a great way to learn about career opportunities. Many of these organizations may be linked to particular work-study programs and some even have relationships with certain businesses where they’ve hired on previous alumni in the past. Joining organizations that peak your interests in some way or that are connected to your department or area of study provide great networking opportunities for you to meet people currently working in your field or even gain exposure to careers you were unaware of before. These organizations can help introduce you to key faculty members and alums that can help position you for success in your field.
No matter which path you choose, there are several advantages to exploring what career development resources your school has to offer early. The earlier you start, the better your chances are for success once you finally cross that stage on graduation day!
Brittany Williams is the founder and owner of Written Works, LLC (@WrittenWorksATL), an online editorial publishing house offering writing, branding and proofreading services. She's a lover of craft beer, large breed dogs, great stories and esoteric intellectual conversations. Connect with her on social @bryttbrytt_
