Deciding to go to college was a great decision for me. My time at college really put me on the path to economic success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics college graduates with a bachelor’s degree earn on average up to 65% more per year than those with a high school diploma. College graduates are likely to have better living situations and are more likely to positively influence the people around them than non-college graduates.
But it takes more than just showing up to class everyday. There is so much more to college than just textbooks and tests. Learning how to take advantage of all the resources available to you is essential to putting yourself on the road to success.
We all know college is extremely expensive, especially in the United States. Here are 7 career tips for college students that will allow you to make the fastest return on your investment.
Start thinking about your future career NOW!
It’s never too soon to start thinking about your career. In my experience, most college students don’t seriously start thinking about their career until they are close to graduating or even until after they’ve graduated!
Trust me, this will make it very difficult to find a job. Employers are looking to hire people with experience, and college is a great place to gain that experience. Having a career path in mind from the beginning will allow you to be on the lookout for opportunities to gain experience in your field. For example, a lot of science majors are able to work in real science labs alongside actual scientists!
Don’t worry, if you find yourself on a career path that isn’t right for you, or you just aren’t enjoying the courses as much as you thought you would, you can always change your major. You don’t have to commit to anything, so you decide on a career path early and start getting all of the experience you can!
Pick a major based on your interests and strengths
Some students apply to college knowing the field they want to study, others are undecided. As you are going to college, it is important to find choose a major that aligns with your interests and strengths. When choosing a major, you should look at all the courses that are included in that program, the jobs you could get after, and their respective projected career earnings.
Most schools offer all the courses required for that major on their website. Reading through the courses in a major is a great way to get an idea of what that major will be like.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a website produced by the US government. It shows the average salary someone can make in many different professional fields.
For those that need more help deciding what major to study, take this Major Quiz to view a list of majors that could be a good fit.
Take advantage of the Career Development Center
Your college’s Career Development Center should be one of the places you visit the most. It has a ton of resources that can help you succeed. They can help you write a resume (also known as curriculum vitae or CV). It’s really important to always have an up-to-date resume available, you never know when it might come in handy. Getting assistance with your resume is especially helpful if English isn’t your first language. A well-written resume is essential to finding a job after college!
Another advantage of using the career development center is that they are in contact with many companies and can assist you with finding job openings and internship opportunities. For students who aren’t sure which major will fit them best, the Career Development Center can help with that too.
Get involved:
Getting involved by joining a club or organization on campus or off campus is a great a way to meet people with similar interests. Participating in a club or organization will help you develop skills and qualities that will help you land your first job. This is a great way doe international students to get out of their comfort zone and interact with peoples. This is especially helpful if English isn’t your first language! Employers are always looking to hire people with strong communication skills. People To People International, Rotaract Club, Model Union are a few good clubs that you can consider joining. Volunteer work is also a great way to help your community, and many employers expect to see volunteer work on your resume. Your university will have a list of all the clubs and organizations available.
Network
Getting involved, whether on-campus or off-campus, opens the door for networking. Start meeting people in your field of study and build relationships and connections. Find a mentor who will share their knowledge with you. Often times, students find out about job openings through their professional connections. These people will also be able to write letters of recommendation for you.
Create a LinkedIn account
Use LinkedIn to grow your network and keep up with your connections. Create a LinkedIn account as soon as you start college and add all of your achievements as you go. Classmates and professors can also write on your page to endorse you. I wish that I would’ve joined LinkedIn as a freshman. Don’t wait, sign up now!
Internship, part-time job or work-study
Use your LinkedIn’s Job search engine to look for internship or part-time jobs.Other websites like Indeed and Monster are also great job search tools. Having some work experience through internship or work-study is very important. For international students, reach out to your International Advisor before starting a job search as there are some visa restrictions. The last thing you want is to find yourself in the situation of illegal employment. International students should read this article to learn more about the various employments options they have such as work study, OPT, CPT …etc.
Follow these career tips! Good Luck!