If you are a college student, it is never too early to start thinking about your career.This is what they should be teaching you in school but don’t. By no means am I saying that I have life figured out, but I feel like I’ve learned enough along the way to share some of this advice. Navigating through the world of networking, resumes, and internships can be brutal, but with the right mindset you'll be a pro in no time!
Here are my 10 tips to prepare yourself for your career while in college.
1. Create a Linkedin account.
I am shocked at the amount of people who do not have Linkedin accounts. This is the one social network you need to be on. LinkedIn is basically the Facebook for your career. It allows you to create a profile that displays all of your professional experience. This site allows you to connect with professionals all throughout the world. It is a great resource for finding jobs and internships! If you’re not sure about what internships are available or what you want to do, you can simply search on the job board or you can look at someone else’s profile. A lot of the internships I applied for this summer were ones that a lot of my Linkedin connections had previously done. Moral of the story, PLEASE create a Linkedin account. You will thank me later!
2. INTERN, INTERN, INTERN.
I cannot say this word enough! If you do not intern, do not expect to find a job after you graduate. Internships are the key to future employment. Websites like Indeed.com, Simplyhired.com, and Linkedin are great resources for internship searches! Also use resources such as old teachers, family, and family friends. Someone you know might know someone you can be connected with. It’s all about networking!
Which brings me to number three…
3. Networking is essential.
When I first moved to Louisville, I didn’t know a single person. I had no family or friends and I was completely on my own. When I walked into my very first communication class my professor stated that she had temporarily taken over the internship program. From that moment forward I made sure that she would get to know me. Comm 201 was a 300+ person class and I was going to make it my duty that she would recognize me by face and name. Not only did this connection help me get a job in the Communication department, but she connected me with my previous boss at Big Brothers Big Sisters. Because she knew me, she thought that our personalities would mesh well together. It’s through her connections that I have had so many career opportunities here in Louisville. Networking matters and it will make a huge difference! You want to grow your network as much as possible whether it be through personal connections or even through Linkedin. This is crutial!
4. Build a standard resume and cover letter.
Each job will require you to tailor your resume/cover letter in a different way. When applying for a job, it is always a good idea to address your cover letter directly to the company you are applying to. It’s also a good idea to mention specifics about their company. Not only will this make your letter seem less generic, but it will also demonstrate that you took the time to research their company. Before you get here it’s important to have a general resume on file so you can make those easy changes. Do not wait until the last minute to come up with a resume because I can promise you it will look like you did (learn from my mistakes). If you have a resume/cover letter in advance it will be easy to make those small changes.
5. Take advantage of your school’s career services.
When I was a freshman at my junior college at home, I started using the career center just out of curiosity. They offered resume building seminars, resume and cover letter review, mock interviews, etc. Do you want to know the best part of all of these services? They were all FREE. Yes I said FREE. This is key! When you are older, it costs money to have a professional look over your resume and cover letter. Take advantage of these resources while they are free! Don’t be afraid to have someone look over your resume and cover letter more than once. Chances are that one person may catch something that the other person didn’t.
6. Don’t get discouraged if someone tells you ‘no’.
The internship/job search can be extremely discouraging at times. You put in tons of applications and sometimes it will be weeks or months before you hear back from the companies (if you hear back at all). Within this waiting period, you will probably get a ‘no’ or ‘we’re not interested’ somewhere in there. Don’t let this get you down. Keep applying and keep remaining prayerful. Someone is going to hire you! Now, if you only put in one application and they say no, you don’t really have a right to complain. You have to put in the work!
7. Don’t compare yourself to other people.
What’s even more discouraging than a ‘no’ is seeing all of your friends get jobs while you are still waiting. It’s important to know that you are on your own career path and you can’t compare yourself to the people around you. When it comes to your career, it’s great to be happy for your friends, but it’s also essential that you focus on yourself. This is the one area of your life where you need to be selfish. Your time will come. You just need to have a little patience.
8. Set goals for yourself.
It’s always important to set goals for whatever you decide to do. When applying for summer internships, I made sure to set time goals, meaning strict deadlines. I have a habit of waiting to the last minute to do a lot of things, but for this I knew that I couldn’t do that. My goal was to have all of my applications turned in before spring break and I was able to accomplish that goal! You should also do this with all aspects of your career. If you want a raise, map out a plan on how to get it. If you are hating your job and want something new, figure out how you can get there. Goals give you something to work towards!
9. Always have a backup plan.
There’s nothing wrong with saying that you want to have a specific internship, but don’t get your heart set on one in particular. The job market is very unpredictable and it’s important to explore all the options you have versus limiting yourself to only one. The beauty of being a communication major is that I can go into any field that I want. It’s comforting knowing that if I get tired of one thing I can easily switch to something else. It’s important to have this flexibility so you can have a plan B if plan A falls through.
10. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
Following up is very important! Like, very important! Persistence is key to landing an internship and it’s important that you let them know that you’re interested. If you sent an email over a month ago and haven’t heard back don’t be afraid to email them again. Companies usually receive 300+ emails a day regarding internships and sometimes they’ll go directly to the spam folder. Don’t be afraid to give them a call and tell them about your interest. My motto has always been “the worst they can say is no“. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain!
