Photo Courtesy of: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan
Gearing up for graduation can be as exciting as it is scary, with questions about what to do after college and how to prepare for your first job moving quickly to the forefront. With New Year’s officially over and graduation a few months in the not-so-far distance, developing a few strategies focused on answering these questions is a smart planning move. Here are five practical pre-graduation goals that can help the upcoming graduate plan for the future.
1. Clean up your social network
In our ever-so-connected society, the use of social media sites is the norm for most college students. Posting pictures of party-going with classmates or status updates about frustrating assignments can seem harmless, but as graduation approaches, taking time to shift your social media presence away from college shenanigans and toward a professional image is incredibly important. Future employers are more apt to review social media sites of applicants than they are to check personal references, and as such, removing a party picture (or five) or an unbecoming tweet is in your best interest. If removing posts from timelines is not on your radar, simply update the privacy settings on each of your pages to ensure nothing questionable is available for public viewing by your prospective employers.
2. Get to work
One of the most powerful sections of a student’s resume is his or her work experience. Although industry-focused classes and leadership positions in campus organizations can be beneficial, having consistent and relevant work experience will help set you apart from other job applicants. It can be a challenge to find and keep meaningful work while attending school, but as graduation nears, focusing on securing a part-time job or internship will do wonders for your ability to get hired quickly after the caps are thrown.
3. Know your network
Another resolution that can assist with the pre-graduation jitters is as simple as connecting with the people you know. Understanding who is in your network and taking the time to reach out to those who work in the field you are interested in can be beneficial in jumpstarting the job search. This can include family members, former bosses or internship coordinators, students from your school who have already graduated or friends’ parents. Send a quick note to ask them what you should be doing in preparation for work in your specific field, or set a meeting for coffee or lunch to share your future plans. You can also start building your profile on a professional social networking site, such as LinkedIn, to begin to connect with individuals through that medium.
4. Know your industry
Up until now, you’ve spent a substantial amount of time learning textbook examples of what individuals in your field of study do on a day-to-day basis. But do you know what’s currently happening in the IT, marketing, or accounting universe right now? In order to prepare yourself for upcoming interviews as well as general discussions about what type of job you may want in the industry, reading up on industry current events is a valuable addition to your daily or weekly routine. Having book smarts is one thing; knowing what is happening in practical applications of your field is entirely another. To start building this important practice into your routine, Google Alerts can easily be set up to send articles focused on specific industries or topics directly to your inbox each day.
5. Make a date with your career planning office
A number of students will depend on Mom and Dad as their source of advice on how to start the job search. Although they may have valuable tips on building a resume or drafting cover letters, their methods for connection may be a bit out of date. As part of your pre-graduation goals, plan to spend some time speaking with someone who has current working knowledge of your career field. You can receive some tremendously helpful information on how to position yourself for getting that first call back from an employer simply by discussing your desires with your school’s career planning office. You could also reach out to those in your network who work as recruiters or hiring managers. These discussions will help you start your job search in the best way, specific to you and your career goals.
Your last semester, though an exciting time, is an excellent opportunity to start planning for upcoming goals, and for students who are inching toward graduation, the time to set specific, focused intentions is now. To ensure you are off to a good start once graduation is a mere memory, build your pre-graduation goals around the tips listed here.
