Preparing for the job hunt is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to get ready for the job search and you should utilize your time in college to get yourself ready.
Dr. Tom Denham, career counselor and careers and worklife blogger at the Times Union, recently wrote an article called “50 Career Tips for College Students.” Denham offers some great tips for college students looking forward to the job search.
Here are five of his tips I found most important to share:
1. “Come up with your own personal and professional definition of success and don’t let anyone else define it for you.” Not everyone is going to work at the top firm or most well-known company in the country—and not everyone wants to. Set goals for yourself and always keep them in the back of your mind.
2. “In addition to your college degree, employers will want to see multiple internship experiences. Your competition has them.” Internship experiences will not only look great on your resume, they will (hopefully) prepare you for an entry-level position. Take advantage of every opportunity you have to intern, even if it is just a small project or freelance work.
3. “Clean up any ‘Digital Dirt’ that’s on the Internet. Your online reputation IS your reputation. Create it, build it and protect it.” We all know that the importance of a candidate’s online reputation has skyrocketed in recent years. Make sure to do the “google search” to see what your top results are and triple check that there are no embarrassing or incriminating posts or pictures of you online.
4. Starting at the bottom is not beneath you; it’s expected. At a recent interview, the employer told me the main thing they look for in new hires is eagerness. They want people who would do anything to get a foot in the door. Remember: you start a job as a newbie– regardless of if it’s an entry-level position or not. Respect those that have worked there longer or been in the industry longer. You can learn something from them.
5. An employer wants to know, “Can you do the job? Are you willing to do the job? Can we stand you when you do the job?” Keep these questions in mind when on an interview or when speaking to a potential future employer. They can help guide your conversations.
To read the rest of Denham’s tips, read the full article here.
What do you think of these tips? Do you have any good ones to add to the list?
