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3 Career Planning Tips for College Students

By Xiaoxiao Zhu posted 08-18-2014 12:05 AM

  
As a college student, you may be thinking about ways you can leverage your academic achievements towards helping you land a professional job after graduation. Due to the increased competition for new jobs, it’s critical that students begin preparing themselves early in their college career and begin understanding what employers look for when filling vacant positions with new college graduates. There are several ways you can gain an edge before starting the job hunt. Here are three career planning tips for college students which helped me get a jump-start on my career and can help you too.

1) Get a job, internship, co-op every year! You need work experience because your future employer expects it. It is one thing to get good grades and another thing to have good work ethic and apply what you’ve learned. You can present a professional edge by interning and learning as much as possible. Pay attention to what kind of work you enjoy doing and what you don’t like to narrow down job possibilities. Even if you don’t start out with your dream job there is plenty of time to work, gain knowledge, and find out what you actually like to do.

2) Join on-campus activities! Clubs, groups, associations, whatever. Become involved on campus. These activities provide leadership opportunities, build interpersonal communication, and build your network! Find one and offer your services and take part in meetings that will help you to develop additional transferable skills that will make you a valuable asset in the job market. Taking on leadership roles on campus is something employers love to see on a resume.

3) Volunteer and network! There are numerous volunteer organizations available. You can find one either at your college or in your college community. You can also go to professional networking events in your city to network with professionals. I cannot stress how important this is. The professional organization like IMA offers a lot of volunteering and networking opportunities. I met my current employer from the annual student leadership conference. I also took on different leadership roles to improve my soft skills, network with like-minded professionals and potential mentors, and show an employer that I am a "giver."

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