How to Maximize College Graduate Job Prospects
When considering how to enter the job market in a field that aligns with our specific needs, wants, and personality, it is important to spend the time doing the introspective work on what are my essential skills, needs, and areas of interest that will provide purpose and fulfillment. If a job seeker can identify what are those core values, then identifying a major, internship opportunities, and future places of employment will be far easier.
It starts with what fills you with energy each day. For some that is combing through research, for others it is reimagining the functionality of a space. It makes sense to connect the dots…for example, if a student exhibits leadership skills, is willing to take calculated financial risks and works well in a collaborative environment, entrepreneurial endeavors and start ups may be a comfortable work experience.
To gain this introspection it makes sense to start with an assessment of one’s skills where your stakeholders (parent, mentor, teacher, and close friend) can remark on what fills you up and what depletes you is very important. Taking this information coupled with an assessment (Strong Interest Inventory, Hogan, CDR, Birkman) interpreted by a career counselor to determine work environments that align with your occupational themes, basic interests, and personal work styles create the magic recipe to help students propose a plan for career clarity.
When entering college (2-year, 4-year, or trade programming) it makes sense to connect with career services during the very first semester. The reason why…there are only three summers when you are a college student.
Learning how to write an excellent resume that will get pulled in an age where keywords matter, updating a LinkedIn that hiring committees will read, and networking with professionals in the field matter. Those who use every summer to explore various aspects of the career paths they have identified will be able to narrow their focus to land a first job that offers the most comprehensive first step on their specific career trajectory.
The advice I offer my high school and college students is to check back in on your progress after every semester. The hack I try is updating my resume and LinkedIn profile every time I get my teeth cleaned.
As we progress through the job search process and land our first internships, it is essential to reflect on - what worked, what didn’t, what would you change, who did you connect with, who will remain in your life as a mentor, what move would you consider making next. The more we consider these factors, the more it will fuel us in pursuit of our personalized career goals.
