It is that time of year again. The hordes of excited freshman head off to college with anticipation and perhaps a bit of fear. And let’s not forget the returning college students who will be diving deeper into their majors and areas of concentration. Besides the conventional wisdom parents normally provide, please allow me to urge you share these seven points with them!
- Inventory and document summer work experience and skills
- Add valuable connections to your network
- Learn about life from professors
- Get a job
- Pack in extracurricular activities
- Hang with alumni
- Meet the ‘rents
For the full story behind each of these important seven recommendations, please visit my post on US News “7 Ways College Students Can Gain an Edge on the Job Hunt”
Here’s why these points are critical. College students are graduating with incredible debt. They must get work quickly after graduating. Having a solid portfolio of experience (besides just classroom study) and having strong personal connections to the working world, will greatly increase their odds of securing employment.
Hiring is on the rise and unemployment right now for college graduates is only 3.9%. This doesn’t mean finding a job out fresh out of college will be easy. Let’s provide them with all the tools and resources necessary to succeed!
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
