Use College Career Centers All Four Years
May 16th, 2011 | By Editor | Category: EducationMost college students wait until their final year to visit college career centers, if they ever make it in. But don’t wait–whatever you study in college, career centers offer you valuable resources and guidance throughout your time at school.
Think of Majors and Courses in Terms of Your Career.
While the freedom to indulge and explore your academic interests is one of the best things about college, keep in mind that you’re preparing yourself to enter the professional world in just a few short years. College career centers offer a work perspective on everything you do at school. This is an opportunity to discover and explore new aptitudes and skills that can be applied later. Just the concept of application should have a strong effect on your decision to major in a field of study.
Job and Internship Placement
Even part-time jobs can easily be maximized for their career-building potential. Don’t miss opportunities to build your resume (for pay!) during your college career. Career enters will help you find ways to make money and gain relevant work experience at the same time.
Internships are priceless when it comes to entering competitive fields, and you may have the financial and time flexibility in college to pursue options that you won’t be able to later.
Career Seminars
No idea yet what to study, much less do for the rest of your life? Your college career center sets up lectures by alumni in different career paths for students who are undecided. Watch the schedule for anything that interests you, or better yet, go to something that doesn’t! You never know what might appeal to you. There are dozens of ways to be involved in any profession or field. You’ll inevitably learn a lot if you strike up a conversation with professionals passionate enough about their careers to come speak about them.
Interview Practice Sessions
This is the kind of thing most students leave for the last minute, but it’s the last thing you want to rush or do when you’re stressed about it. College career centers exist to make students competent and comfortable in the working world. Take full advantage of this service by mastering these skills before you need them.
Career Competency Lectures
This is another skill that students neglect until it’s an emergency, but you don’t have to. Learn how to use all your life experience as impressive skills and interesting features on your resume. Employers want employees with diverse experiences. College career centers can show you how to present yours.
Don’t wait–take advantage of all the resources your college offers you now. Career services can help you set and surpass your goals every year you’re in school.
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This article is very insightful – I have a client who has talked business with me and explained that she felt her educational career could have been more productive. She could have benefited greatly from this advice and I will share the article with her as she is planning on attending a university this Fall to earn a second Bachelor’s Degree.
I wish college career centers pushed a little more to talk about WHY you need them from the start. I think that is something they need to do. I really never knew the benefits when I attended college. I wish I had taken the time to see what they were all about. With that being said, when my sons go to school, I will talk to them about why they are helpful, why they should check them out, etc. Hopefully, I can pass that on to them
Top notch suggestions here. I have a daughter who has just entered college and is firmly entrenched in the “no idea yet what to study” group. I’ll be talking with her this weekend about checking on the career center. It’s funny though, I don’t recall any mention of it at the orientation. Maybe like Jennifer says, they need to push a little harder and make themselves more visible.
Great article, I mentor the youth and found that college career centers do not push hard enough. A lot of these students do not have a clue and need someone that is knowledgeable to guide them.
Im obliged for the article. Will read on…