First, being a college student, you are already on a fast track to success. There are constant speculations on how the world has changed and formal education is not necessary, how a digital age cares only about practical knowledge, but in the end, “digital age” is not the one hiring you to do the job, HR does. That is why it is so important that you finish college — even if you don’t work in the same field as your diploma, having it is a great plus to your career perspectives. So, it is settled — you already have better chances for a career of your dream than most people out there, but you still haven’t won the competition. What you need to do now, is to follow these and similar tips and tricks.
The major idea here is to actually follow them. It is exactly like with fitness — if you watch others working out while you are eating hamburgers and binge-watching Netflix, you won’t get any fitter, even if you do it for several years. It is not enough to read career tips for college students, you have to actually apply them.
Start building your career earlier than later
Many students make the same mistake — they start thinking about their careers too late. It doesn’t mean of course that they lose this battle forever, you have better chances if you start thinking about your career immediately when you start college. We know, it sounds rather boring, but college is not an endless party or even not endless essay writing — it is a springboard to real life.
Be on good terms with a career counsellor
In college movies and series, career counsellors are often presented like some old-fashioned annoying people who cannot understand students, their real passions and the outside world that changes so fast. You may be surprised, but things are really different in real life. Try contacting your college career counsellor, check the programs and internships offered, etc. Establish a rapport. The key idea is to make your career counsellor remember you and take interest in your career affairs. There is no need of being too clingy, but don’t miss this opportunity to have connections with HR and other career specialists looking for fresh talents.
Read about new professions
The world is constantly changing, new professions emerge, some professions die — or are given to robots, automized. It is crucial to follow these trends if you want to have a successful career and have a good start right after graduating from college. Again, you can find career counsellors online and offline, follow some related channels online, etc. Another option is to check on recruiting websites — you can see new trends there along with the requirements to those professions and salaries from Junior level and hire. If you spend enough time on this research, you will be able to enter the market.
Combine your major with the latest trends
You should always have a plan B. The recent situation with COVID-19 pandemics has shown that you also need to have plans C, D, E and more. Why? Because no diploma is now a guarantee of a long uninterrupted professional career. You need to know how your major combines with the latest trends — automation, AI, online/remote work, etc. You can always find your place in a well-paid and prospective sphere. Professional lifts are working even better than social ones, so you just need to make sure you know what you want, and find the way to apply your major to that career dream.
Pay Attention to Networking
Start networking early. There are two major types of networking for college students – among peers and among professionals. It is good to combine these two options. You will need your college mates later, but at first, you will need some unofficial professional connections. However, we need to warn you not to turn networking into constant partying. Write down the most valuable contacts you make so you can get back to them later.
Attend Career or Internship Fairs
Yes, we know, it takes time, it may seem useless, and those fairs are hardly attended by the important representatives of the companies you may be interested in. However, you can collect valuable contacts, ask questions about the chosen profession and requirements for Junior positions, feel the vibe. Their key secret of a successful visit is to have a plan – questions prepared, stands you want to visit, etc.
Find Time to Relax
Being overstressed about your career choices and current assignments don’t do you any good. Sometimes you just need to relax and delegate some of your papers to a professional essay writing company, such as Smart Writing Service. You can focus on internships and fairs, while experts are writing original essays and research papers from scratch based on your requirements. Place an order or free inquiry in a few clicks, and save time for the things that are really important for your future career.
Start Building Your CV
If you can — start working. It can be anything — from waiting tables to writing texts online, from taking pictures to working shifts in a QA service. Yes, it is tiring to combine work and education, and some colleges are not very approving of it, but it is the only way to start building your CV earlier than your peers.
Dream Backwards
Normally, we think of our careers in a direct way — finishing college, getting into some internship, starting in a Junior position, etc. Try thinking of your career backwards. Pick a point in the future, approximately ten years from now. Imagine where you want to be. And start dialling back — what is the stage before that, and before that?
Don’t Focus on What Others Say
It is very simple — focus on what you want to do in life, not on what your parents or friends think is cool/respectable/profitable to do.
In the end, it all comes to one point — you graduate from college and start looking for a job. If you have followed these or similar tips, there is a good chance you will be able to deal with everything better than your peers.