I’ve always considered myself a career and goal-oriented gal, but I know it can be hard to pinpoint what you want to do with your life. I grew up watching my mom be part of various human resources departments, which led me to have my “interview voice” down by the time I was ready to get my first job. As a result, when I entered college and it was time to start networking and building a LinkedIn profile, I was ecstatic. I’ve truly gotten into polishing my interviewing skills, networking, LinkedIn, and perfecting my resume in the last year.
My college, the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship, has provided so many opportunities to further our near-future careers through an internship prep class and multiple receptions. It enabled me to speak with recruiters for major retailers such as Uniqlo, Dillard’s, and Target in an extremely personal setting. I’ve learned a few things in the last year that I think could be super helpful for a girlie wanting to get started on their career goals. I hope you learn a couple of things from my guide!
Resumes
I can’t stress this enough: Your resume must be one page. We’re in college, so the chance of us needing more than one page for two to five years of experience is extremely rare. Employers won’t want to read all of that. They’ll probably offer advice on how to make it better, which can be helpful but also a little embarrassing if you’re trying to make a good impression!
I know one page can feel limiting, but feel free to use size small fonts and single spacing! Also, don’t forget to include your contact information (your phone number and your preferred email address).
My new favorite addition to my resume is a LinkedIn-generated QR code to my profile. I’ve gotten multiple compliments on it and it’s a great way to make LinkedIn connections easily.
When you’re writing descriptions about your jobs and extracurriculars, don’t be afraid to use AI to come up with some professional descriptions. Just don’t forget to personalize the bullet points and make sure they sound like you wrote them.
LinkedIn is Your new favorite pastime
LinkedIn is my new favorite pastime. Essentially, your LinkedIn profile is a digital version of your resume. The platform itself is like professional, career-oriented Instagram. Make sure your headshot looks professional and that both your profile image and the header image are clear and of good quality. Your “Experience” section is where you’ll put job or leadership experience (feel free to take the descriptions directly from your resume).
One of my favorite parts of LinkedIn is that you’re able to select and list specific skills you used and gained in each experience. Employers and peers can go on your profile and endorse these skills as well, making them even more legit!
When it comes to LinkedIn, don’t be afraid to mention your unique experiences such as studying abroad or Greek life! You never know what you can connect with an interviewer about.
This past fall when I was interviewing for internships, I connected with my recruiter on the fact that we were both involved in Greek Life and that I aspired to be a Rho Gamma! She was a recruitment counselor in college and was so excited to hear that I wanted to grow as a leader through Florida State’s recruitment counselor program. I got the internship after three interviews, and I happily accepted! You can catch me at Uniqlo in Disney Springs this summer!
By the time you reach the second semester of your sophomore year, it’s time to retire your high school extracurriculars and move them to the “Activities” area within your Education section. It’s important to highlight what you’ve been doing in college and the most recent years. You don’t want your LinkedIn to be too busy with now irrelevant information. Also, make sure to include any volunteering experiences (corporate social responsibility is a big deal!)
Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations from mentors and peers. LinkedIn has a specific section where people can write about all your amazing qualities and just validate everything on your profile.
In addition to everything you can add to your profile, you can also write posts about your various professional experiences, from visiting a career fair, announcing a new job, meeting and learning from an industry professional, sharing a relevant school project you’re proud of, or even sharing the lessons and skills you learned from a work or leadership experience.
I wish you luck in all your LinkedIn endeavors and am manifesting 500+ connections for you!
career fairs can be fun!
I know this is a major hot take, but career fairs can be fun! The business casual outfits, perfecting and printing out your resume the day before, the free swag — I love it all! I know going through this your freshman year can feel a little unnecessary, but it’s never too early to start building relationships with dream employers or learn from major industry professionals. I’d recommend starting to go to them your sophomore year, as this is the time everyone starts thinking about and applying for internships.
When you enter the career fair in your cutie girlboss business casual outfit, name tag, and resumes in hand, I’d recommend doing a couple of laps. Make note of the companies you want to talk to (or even the ones with the best swag!). Shake those nerves! You got this girl! If you’re really nervous, your first visit can be to an employer you’re not necessarily super excited about or one you don’t want to work at. That way if anything goes wrong, it won’t feel detrimental.
I’d recommend bringing a clean shoulder purse as well to keep your hands relatively free, that way shaking hands can be seamless and natural. When it comes to resumes, I’d recommend bringing 10 to 20 to give out (maybe more, you never know!)
A trick that worked and stood out to me was two things. First, LinkedIn has QR codes generated and ready for your use in their app, which can enable you to make connections extremely quickly with anyone! Open your app and click on the search bar. To the right, you will see a little square, and boom: You’ll see your own personal LinkedIn QR code, complete with your profile picture!
I also keep a digital copy of my resume on my phone in both PDF format and in my photos app. Some employers are willing to set up interviews then and there, and the sign-up might require a picture of your resume. I did this with both Target and Kohl’s, and they were extremely impressed that I had my resume on my phone already and didn’t need to take a picture of the paper copy I’d brought with me.
When you’ve had your career fair fill, treat yourself to a sweet treat or coffee. You’ve earned it!
I hope you’ve learned a thing or two and feel more confident applying for jobs or internships and walking into your next career fair!
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