A Guide to Kick-Starting Your Career While Studying
If you have a career path in mind, it’s always a good idea to start thinking about it while studying. Not only will it help you get the job you want, but it will also benefit you post-grad.
Of course, you can see the example of how to unblock your college facebook account. Sometimes, you need to get some tricks to avoid unnecessary mistakes.
It’s important to take the following steps to kick-start your career while studying:
1. Take a career assessment
Career assessments are practical tools that help you gain insight into yourself and the careers and positions you might be a good fit for. These self-assessments can be taken either online (for a fee) or with a counselor who is trained to assist you in interpretation.
These assessments can be broken down into three categories: values, interests and aptitudes/skills. Values assess the underlying motivations and needs that you have in a job, while interests are a reflection of the types of leisure time activities that you enjoy. Skills are a reflection of the talents and abilities you possess that you can transfer to a number of occupations.
PHSC’s career assessment tool is FOCUS 2. Students can access it through this link with the access code lakerpride. It is also recommended that you schedule an appointment with a counselor to discuss your results. This will ensure that you are able to understand and interpret the information thoroughly. Additionally, if you’re obsessed with gaming tools you also can go to this page and check on how to get a proper sound output without speakers.
2. Do an internship
College students are often eager to get out and start work. That’s why internships, even unpaid ones, are so important. Internships show employers that you’ve done real work and have practical skills. While they may not be the golden ticket to a job, they can help you build your reputation and give you an edge over other candidates when it comes time to apply for full-time roles.
An internship can also provide you with the opportunity to test drive a career and determine whether it is the right fit for you. It can also expose you to roles, departments and industries that you didn’t consider, which could narrow your future options or open a whole new door.
The old cliche “it’s not what you know but who you know” holds true when it comes to securing internships and employment. Fortunately, an internship can introduce you to people who will become valuable members of your professional network in the future.
3. Create a resume
A great resume is key to landing job interviews. Whether you’re applying for your first gig or just trying to find a way to supplement your income, the sooner you get started creating one, the better.
An effective resume includes the following: contact information (name, email address and professional-looking phone number), a career summary or objective statement that describes your qualifications and aspirations, a work experience section that begins with your most recent position, and a education and skills sections.
The education section should include your GPA if it is above 3.5, academic honors and awards, relevant school projects and coursework, certifications and online courses. The work experience section should list your full-time jobs, part-time positions and internships along with any fieldwork or special projects you’ve done that are related to the job for which you’re applying. Use powerful action words like accelerated, accomplished, boosted, enhanced, influenced, maintained, lowered and improved to describe your accomplishments.
4. Start networking
Whether you’re a new grad or a career changer, getting involved in your chosen field while studying can make all the difference to your future prospects. Taking on part-time or temporary work, volunteering or an internship can all help build your resume and demonstrate to employers that you have the skills they’re looking for.
Networking is a crucial way to add more skills and experiences to your resume, meet like-minded professionals and gain industry insight. Having the right connections can also help you find jobs and secure internships.
Even if networking sounds daunting to your introvert-self, chances are you’re already forming connections without realizing it — it could be as simple as overhearing someone at a coffee shop talk about a guest lecturer or meeting a fellow student at a careers fair. Moreover, it’s important to start networking early as the more people you connect with, the greater your opportunity for success.