One of the biggest things you will learn in college is being resourceful. Whether it be finding the cheapest place to get a pizza, or the quickest way to write a term paper, college is all about finding the most effective solution and the most useful tools to get you there. As you begin the transition from college to career, these skills of resourcefulness become even more important. Utilizing key resources on campus and online will help make the transition from classes to career smooth and successful.
College Resources
There are many resources available right on campus that were designed specifically to help you find a job. The best time to take advantage of them is while you are still in school, but you have to be aware of them first.
Find a Mentor
College professors are experts in their fields and are often leading researchers and professionals. It is vital to ask for their support and utilize them as mentors as you begin looking for a job. Professors and advisors have a wealth of knowledge and experience you can draw from, and they have invaluable advice and tips to give you. They can help you with your resume, give you quality resources and connections, and even provide you with ideas for jobs to pursue or places to look.
Internships
Internships are another great resource that will give you real-world experience as well as connect you with people already in the workforce.
Internships are often unpaid positions in established companies and they can serve as the perfect way to get some experience in your field of study
. Internships can also turn into full-time work opportunities, so it is vital that you treat it like a career.
Utilize Career Resource Centers
Colleges recognize the importance of preparing you to be a successful contributor to the American workforce, so they are sure to provide resources to help get you there.
Your career service office on campus can provide you with counselors are trained to help you decide on a career path, write and modify your resume, practice interview questions, and more
. They can even offer job openings and internship opportunities, so it is extremely important that you take advantage of them.
Online Resources
While the resources available on-campus on beneficial, there are also many online tools that can help you in your transition.
Indeed
Indeed is the most popular search engine for jobs as it combines postings from websites such as Monster and CareerBuilder on top of its own. This tool is useful as you can search jobs by city or state, as well as by salary, job type, or job title. It even has a mobile app which makes searching for a career convenient on-the-go. You can even attach your resume to your Indeed profile so recruiters can find you and reach out.
LinkUp
LinkUp is another top job search engine that is unique in the fact that it combines listings from company career web pages, doing all of the hard work for you. LinkUp is similar to Google as it delivers the most relevant and up-to-date posting information for you, so you know the job you are looking at is actually still open. This type of system is nice for you as it avoids scams and multiple postings that may have already been filled.
SimplyHired
SimplyHired has some features that the other online search engines don’t offer, including pulling jobs from social media sources. It has a top-of-the-line mobile app that saves you time and energy, allowing you to access your profile and searches no matter where you are. It also provides the opportunity to apply to jobs from your phone, making it a true stand-out.