Pretty soon, a lot of college students will be entering the workforce. How you present yourself, can either take you around the world or keep you stranded right where you are. As a way to help you move further in life, here is some advice to take with you along the way.
1. Clean up your social media.
Because of the world we live in today, it is easy to find information on just about anybody. Many employers use this to their advantage – even though they are not really supposed to. Many businesses have people whose job it is to look through employees social media accounts. There are numerous stories going around about people who’ve been fired because of what was found on their social media. With that being said, watch what you say and post online, because it can work against you in the future.
2. Make your social media private.
This goes along with the first bit of advice. If you have too much to go through on your social media, or just plain don’t want to clean it up, make your social media pages private. The pictures you post on Instagram can hinder your chances for acquiring a job – something as simple as you holding a drink in your hand can take away the opportunity to work for a company. You may not want to, but when those bills start piling up, you might change your mind.
3. Network.
Every place you go, there is opportunity. You never know where your next job may be. When you go to work at a restaurant, for example, the person you wait on may be the CEO of a Fortune 500. In school, they tell you to network because it’ll help your chances of gaining employment – and they are right. If your school hosts any kind of event where they ask employers to come, take advantage. Research who will be in attendance, print out however many copies of your resume, and then go and network. Talk to everyone who is in a field you’re interested in, including your professors. They didn’t get to that position without having been around, networking themselves. They may know someone you should get in touch with. LinkedIn is perfect for networking with professionals. When you meet someone who works in a field you are interested in, ask if they are on LinkedIn and if it would be okay for you to connect. This way, you stay in the loop of everything going on in that field, as well as any positions opening up within that office or department.
4. Always be professional.
When people are younger and work at a minimum wage job, they tend to goof off when working. They make friends with their fellow co-workers and, sometimes, joke around while on the clock. DO NOT DO THIS! It is ok to have fun at work, but there is a time and a place for everything. Wait until you are on break or after hours and go have fun. While working, you should be polite and professional. Use the manners you were taught when you were younger. Look presentable at you job – even if it’s just a retail or fast food job. Opportunity might be just around the corner.