Despite all the pompous speeches glorifying your Commencement as a new beginning, you will soon find out is not the glorious ascend of your career, but actually a through in its roller coaster path.
Why it is a through? It should be a peak. Yes, it seems it should be you’ve done your best and you’re probably ranking high in your class. Unfortunately, most employers are not interested in your academic experience. They are not interested in that academic project you’ve completed for the political science project. They are interested in your practical skills (which you cannot show or you cannot prove with your academic performance). They want to know how you work in teams, how you handle pressure, can you reliably meet a deadline In most of the cases you cannot prove your skills and therefore you start from a lower position than what you actually deserve.
Build Your Career While Still In College
Where To Start
First, you will have to determine what exactly you would like to do. Sit and write a little job description. Then, look around. Attend a job fair and seek out positions with a job description that matches yours. Ask for prerequisites, required skills, etc. Soon, you will end up with a small list of skills that are required for the position you want.
Build Your Skills
Now, that you have determined what you need for your favorite position, start working for it. Look for part-time jobs or work- study projects that require some of the skills that you have in your list. These jobs may not be well paid, but you’ll get your payoff, eventually.
Two Success Stories:
V is a business administration major and has always dreamt working as a project manager. She undertook a work-study position in assisting the Chief Financial Officer in the University she was attending. The job required great responsibility and the pay was lower compared to other work-study positions available. However she kept her position until graduation. This experience helped her get hired right after graduation as a manager of the Investment Office in the municipality of her hometown.
S is also a business administration major and her dream is to work as a human resource manager. She undertook a work-study position as a translator in the University President’s Office. The job was average-paying but it required a lot of overtime. S sacrificed much of her free time and did not get paid overtime. The contacts she made while in this position allowed her to run her own successful HR agency after she graduated.
Get A Proof
This is the most-important part. Ask for a recommendation from the people you have worked for. In this way you will impress your potential employer.
Start Working Now!
Well, this always seems the most difficult part: to be able to implement your plan. Don’t procrastinate and don’t think it over. Start working now!
Maria Stefanova is the owner of LG Software
(http://www.lg_software.net), a company which aims to make SAT,
GRE and GMAT preparation more easy, funny and effective,
of course!
