We’ve been preparing for college our whole lives and now that we’re here we have to prepare for “the real world” and becoming “adults.” For the first two years of college, a lot of us choose to ignore this and just get involved and have fun. Hey, we’re young, and we want to enjoy college!
But if your junior and senior years are rolling around, you should probably check out the Career Center’s checklist for what you should be doing to prepare for the daunting life after undergrad. Below is a list of the top 10 activities that you should be doing to prep for your perfect career, courtesy of Gina Aloe’s email from the Career Center.
1. Network. Now that your college career is coming to an end, make sure your connections are strong by reconnecting with former classmates who have graduated, managers or colleagues, past internship supervisors, professors, etc. Consider sending an actual card the old fashioned way!
2. Work on your resume. Go to the Career Center and the resume building workshops to make sure yours is the best it can be for when you start interviewing for real world jobs (Eek!).
3. Apply to at least 5 internships, especially the semester before you graduate. Take a break, apply to 5 more. You can find opportunities through Navigator, indeed.com, Glassdoor, etc.
4. Identify your dream jobs. List 5 companies you’d love to work for either full time or as an intern. It’s great to have a list so you know what you’re looking for.
5. Use Career Shift, LinkedIn and Navigator to find connections at target companies, especially SHU alums.
6. Network and network some more. Schedule networking meetings, seek advice, gather information, and make connections. Remember that networking is a more informal process.
7. Look at company websites to see what openings they have. Now is the time to look at entry level positions in the companies you’re interested in. Check out their mission statement to get a sense of the company culture and values.
8. Practice your elevator pitch. Rehearse on a few friends and relatives to get feedback on your content and presentation.
9. Go to workshops. Register for an interview, resume, or Making the Most of Social Media Workshop through Navigator. Check out the Career Center’s “Events” tab on Navigator as well as the workshops drop down menu.
10. Relax. Try not to worry about the future and spend some time relaxing for a bit.
Don’t forget to go to the spring 2016 Career Fair on March 16 from 4:00-6:15 p.m. in the Field House. Make sure you’re on track for your perfect career. Otherwise, what’s the point of college?