We all know that college is a crucial step succeeding in life, reaching your goals, and obtaining opportunities within your desired career field. Surprisingly, there’s about 52% of people that don’t use their degrees after they graduate. We are here to help you not become apart of that statistic!
LinkedIn is an exceptional app that can be used to add your resume, find new opportunities, and reach your career. As a college student, you can use LinkedIn like you would use any other social media app. Downloading the app will allow you to connect with other students within your aspiring career field and those who are already achieving their goals within that field. It should be one of the first apps you download when you step foot on campus. With LinkedIn, it is important that you keep it updated with any academic and career related achievements. Keeping your LinkedIn account updated will allow you to connect with companies and display your experience to companies you may be interested in or those that may be interested in you. LinkedIn is one of the most useful ways to show your skillset to companies or anyone you want to work with. On a Clark Atlanta’s campus, there are several LinkedIn workshops that take place throughout the year. Attending such events could result in opportunity and resume building. Take advantage!
Keep your resumé and Portfolio Updated.
It’s important that your resumé and Portfolio (if applicable) is up to date. Your resumé lists out any experience and skills you have that could be helpful in the workplace. Even if you don’t think an experience correlates with the position you’re going for, add it to your resumé. Any little experience is important and teaching you more than you may think. Adding college experience and anything you may have experienced outside of college is great as well! It’s crucial that your contact information is up to date on your resumé, which will allow people, jobs and companies can reach out to reach you. Furthermore , portfolio’s are a great way to showcase your talents and skill as well. Portfolios are great for creativity. Including work that you would be proud of whether it’s school projects or work related projects, is acceptable. Every project is an opportunity to show others that you harbor skill within your field and impress recruiters instantly. Keeping an organized and categorized digital and/or physical portfolio is perfect for college students. Now is the perfect time to develop your resume and portfolio. Here’s to new opportunities!
Career Fairs and Networking Opportunities
Almost every college campus has career fairs. These are one of the best places to find companies to work with and make connections. You never know what new positions and careers you will discover! At the career fair, it is important to dress professionally and presentable. Schools and Universities also encourage students to have resumés on hand to give to these companies so they could reach out to you. While career fairs are amazing networking opportunities, they aren’t the only places you can make these types of connections. Any event whether it is on or off campus, is a great chance to meet someone within the field that you’re going in. Take the opportunity to connect with people and give them some form of communication so you could have connections within the industry.
Reaching Out
Never be afraid to reach out to people or a company you want to work with. Everyone could be helpful in elevating your career. Reaching out will show them that you are interested and serious about your profession. When you have guest speakers on campus, go up to them, ask questions, give them contact information, and vocalize your interest in working with them. One misconception that students have is that being persistent is being annoying. However, persistence is how you get noticed and get things done. Reaching out to them via social media, email, or mobile number, will allow you to make a meaningful and possibly lifelong connection.
Internships, Internships, Internships
Internships are extremely important. As a college student, you should be searching for internship opportunities. They are good to put on your LinkedIn profile, your resumé, and your portfolio. These help you gain experience and references for the journey into your occupation. At times, you might even receive an opportunity that doesn’t align with your desired career, however it can also be beneficial to allowing you to learn and apply more skills. Furthermore, shadowing others or becoming an assistant can be helpful and allow you to gain hands on experience or see the day in the life of someone doing what you want to do.
Business Cards
To make it easier to connect with people, you could use business cards. Business are easy and quick to give someone and fit into your purse or pocket easily. The business card could have your brand name, your name, contact information, social media handles (especially linkedIn), and your website if applicable. Digital business cards and links are also an option. Using apps such as Blinq, allow you to quickly airdrop your information to someone. Consider adding a barcode that links to a link tree with your website, a copy of your resumé and portfolio, and a link to all your socials. This would make your networking process convenient and accessible in one place.
It is time to succeed, put your degree to good use, and become the best HER you can be!