1. Get on LinkedIn and connect with everyone you met
this summer. Why? This is the foundation of your
professional network. These are the folks that may be in a position
to help you when you are ready to get in the interview mix. AND you
may be in a position one day to help them out. Connect now!
2. Update your resume. Yes. Do it now. This is
critical, especially for those of you that worked this summer. Get
the details on your resume while it's fresh in your mind. And
please for the love of all things, keep your resume to one page. It
may be time to lose the high school lifeguard job entry.
3. Get your 2014-15 calendar ironed out. It
should be filled with details about all of the college career fairs
available at your school; org/club/class outings to the city you
see yourself working in post-graduation; and for any visits your
target companies are planning to your campus (you do have a list of
companies you are interested in pursuing, don't you?). Don't let an
event creep up on you with not enough time to properly prepare. And
by prepare I'm referring to pre visit networking, researching
potential target companies, and getting your shoes shined --
seriously, presentation matters!
4. Register for classes in the discipline you are
interested in pursuing post-graduation. Interned as an AE
and realized your passion is writing? Take a class! Build your
portfolio! Can't get in? Ask the prof if you can audit. You may be
surprised by the answer.
5. Get a job. Just wrapped an internship? Liked
it? Ask if you can stay aboard through the school year. They can't
pay? Ask for special projects! Still no? How about a short
internship over the winter break? Spring break? Now is the time to
ask ask ask.
6. Brush up your presentation skills. Afraid of
talking in front of large groups? Find opportunities to overcome
this fear. Never presented using a tool like PowerPoint? Take the
lead on this on your next group project where one needs to be
created. Learn how to use PowerPoint, then be the person leading
the presentation. Work out those presentation butterflies.
And 7: Have some fun. Being enrolled as a
student affords many great opportunities to discover new things
about yourself and all going on around you. Don't waste time
loafing around. Push yourself to get more involved in Greek life,
clubs, college radio, the museum, local charities, and and and.
That's it. I wrote this on my iphone and my thumbs have had
enough.
One last thing. When checking out companies ask what their
values are. If they can't say what they stand for then move on. My
company talks about SSCG. Visit http://www.thecdmgroup.com/who_we_are/values
to learn more.
Good luck.
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