What Every Student Should be Doing For Career Success

[Shahriar Tasjid]

There are different types of college students: the ones who spend their years locked away in the library, the ones who leave everything to the last minute, the ones who spend more time socializing than studying, the ones who split their time between work and the classroom, the ones who do either one of the above things and the ones who try to do them all.
If possible, every college student should start planning for the future early. This means being involved on campus and staying in the know of what's happening, networking with professors and going after professional experiences—this is all in addition to studying and acing your classes of course. Doing this can be the difference between many job offers by the time it's graduation season or a long period of unemployment or underemployment. As a college student, you want to stay on top of what needs to be done to create a positive outcome.

Take advantage of your campus career resources

Are you a regular visitor of your campus career center? If not, you're part of the 40-something percent of students surveyed who reported not taking advantage of it. And if that's the case, you should start. From job fairs, career advisors to resume support and internships, there are so many campus career resources available. As a student, you need to be proactive in finding and using them.

Actively look for professional opportunities

Whether it be a season job, internship or volunteer gig, take every opportunity you come across to develop the skill set you'll need in the future. Finding these jobs will often require a proactive approach combined with patience, so carve out some time to do the work. Connect with other students to form a supportive network where you'll encourage each other.

Create your own opportunities

Don't limit yourself to internships or traditional jobs to acquire the experience you'll need when you join the workforce. Especially if these opportunities aren't coming your way. In this digital age, anyone can start a successful venture with a few clicks and a good wifi connection. Whether you start a blog, launch a photography business or take an online coding/marketing course, use part of your free time to give yourself opportunities with the same gains (more experience). This is key to not only practicing leadership, managing your time, connecting with new people, but also (and most importantly) honing a set of skills.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/shelcyvjoseph/2018/08/11/what-every-college-student-should-be-doing-for-career-success/#41a2057b62c4