Tips for Soon-to-Be and Recent Graduates: Resumes, Interviews - Even Fashion!

Is your sheepskin so new it’s still bleating in your hand? Or maybe you’re a student who even now dreams of gripping that elusive document. Either way, the end of your college career will be here before you know it, and you’ll need a game plan for the next big step. 

Still in School

Interships If you’re still in school, here’s the biggest piece of advice: Do internships – as many as you can. Each experience will open your eyes to a wealth of knowledge that can’t be taught in a classroom. You’ll have the opportunity to make numerous contacts within your field, and you never know when you’ll need someone higher-up pulling for you. 

Once you get the internship, treat it as seriously and professionally as you would a paid gig. Many industries are much smaller than you would expect, and since you don’t know with whom your supervisor rubs elbows, you should treat this as your first chance to make or break your name. Also, an internship can be a great segue way to a job. If you work hard and impress your boss, there’s a much better chance that they’ll be willing to hire you after graduation, or hook you up with their contacts if they don’t have any positions available. 

Job Search: Doing in the Legwork

So now you’re off to the job search! Like your fathers before you, you can try the classified section in the newspapers, but that’s a little outdated. For the most recent and up-to-date ads, head straight to your computer. There are many websites available to help you narrow your search. Try careerbuilder.com or monster.com, both great sites that let you input your location and job type and do the searching for you. They’re also the two most well known.