Is there a better time in life than college? The freedom to run your own life without much of the work and responsibility that comes later. Alas, the walk across the graduation stage must come and we must all prepare for the lives that come after.
What is the secret to landing one of your dream jobs after college? Many people see themselves stepping right from the podium into the office of their dream company, but the reality often doesn’t pan out that way.
If you’re looking to land your dream gig, there are some steps you might need to take while still in school to ensure the transition happens. Read on and we’ll walk you through everything that you need to know.
1Utilize Your College Resources
You don’t realize what a wonderful place a college campus can be until you leave it behind. For once in your life, there are plenty of resources and people around you who’s only job is to help ensure your future success.
One place to definitely pop your head in? The career office. If you don’t utilize this resource while still in school, you’ll surely be kicking yourself later on. This is one of the most helpful places on any college campus for a soon to be graduate.
What can the employees in the career office do for you? Well, just about anything you might need to help secure your chance of grabbing that dream gig out of school. They can help you practice via mock interviews or they can look over your resume and give you professional advice.
Yes, having your roommates look over your resume and give some pointers might be nice, but they certainly aren’t professionals. These individuals are.
Depending on what industry you’re going into, they might even be able to provide you with networking opportunities or advice on how to get your foot in the door. They can also just be someone to talk to and work through your anxieties.
It’s a resource that not enough students use while at school, and one you should take advantage of while you can.
2Land an Internship
Speaking of getting your foot in the door— is there a better way to get established in the industry of your choice than an internship? As you’ll find as you get out into the real world, work experience is one of the most coveted things any company is looking for and the aspect that is most scarce among just-out-of-school grads.
If you get even a mild amount of relevant work experience under your belt before graduating, you’ll have set yourself apart from all the others in the field.
Often, these internships can lead directly to job offers. Many businesses figure they already have you there in person and you’ve already learned the ropes, so why not make things official? This can be a great way to transition into your dream position.
Even if you don’t get a job offer out of the gate, you’ll be on this company and others like it’s radar. That’s exactly where you want to be.
Worried that it’s too late for you to snag an internship? Don’t give up too easily. Many businesses are willing to take students on during their last few months of study or even in the months following their graduation.
Make sure you do a thorough search before giving up on the idea of an internship.
3Network Like Crazy
Your skills and background are one thing. At the end of the day, all businesses thrive on that age-old hum of human connection. People want to work with people they know, trust, and like.
That can be you if you put the work into meeting the right people. The hardest part of this kind of task is simply getting started. The more people you know, the easier meeting new people becomes.
Use all of the avenues you have available to you. Reach out to people you might know through your friends, family, teachers, and those down at the career office (remember them?). You can join an honor society or any sort of campus organization that will increase the body of people that you know.
These people might know others that you can reach out to.
Don’t be afraid to cold reach out to people either, whether it be through social media or job websites. It can be enough to simply introduce yourself and ask for advice about getting into the industry that you want to get into. You might be surprised at what the people you reach out to might offer you.
Even if they don’t offer much, make sure to thank them for their time and attempt to keep in touch in the coming months and years. You never know when something might click with someone.
You might find that you even get a key reference or introduction out of the matter, landing you right behind the desk of that dream job you’ve been thinking about this entire time.
Landing Great Jobs After College
It can be difficult to land one of those coveted dream jobs after college. Not everyone gets to place themselves exactly where they want to be. However, if you take the proper steps and put the effort in, you can increase your chances of ending up where you want to go.
Need more career advice? Keep scrolling our blog for more information.
