3 Ways to Take Charge of Your Career While in College
Article provided by Brand-Yourself.com
College has been a blast so far hasn’t it? Parent free, new friends, parties, staying up late and skipping class. When you decide to attend, you can show up in pj’s. Papers written at 3am and cramming sessions before exams.
Reality check!
You’re staring at a fork in the road. To the right, you grow up a little and take on some adult responsibility. You start not only thinking of your future, but actively taking steps to ensure you have one. A little boring, compared to the fun college life thus far, but worth it. To the left, rock on! Keep up with those mediocre grades so you can earn that A+ in beer pong!
Uh …the choice is yours. But the “right” path seems pretty obvious.
Here are 3 simple things to help you along that path.
Internship
You just spent $1,000/semester to buy information that will be outdated by the time you graduate. The business world is changing faster than ever; professors and textbooks can’t keep up. The only way you can close this gap is by getting out into the workforce and landing an internship.
Not a pushing papers internship either. Find something that’s going to teach you. I’m in HR, so my first internship involved performance appraisals, HRIS implementation, open enrollment, I-9’s, comparatios and more. Look for internships that build skills you can use down the road! It’s the knowledge you gain outside that classroom that will give you your competitive advantage.
Involvement
Get involved. For example, if you’re an HR student, join the SHRM club chapter at your college. Sign up for an HR mentorship program. There isn’t one? Develop it! What better way to demonstrate dedication to your personal development and that of the profession? Start attending local SHRM chapter events and networking with area professionals.
Networking
The importance of networking will be shoved down your throat for the next 2 years. It’s ironic that no one teaches you HOW to network.
As a student, it can be easier than you think and more informative than you’d imagine. One thing I learned quickly; people love to talk about themselves! Use that to your advantage. Briefly introduce yourself …name, year, college and major. Ask about the other person. How did they begin their career in Human Resources? What have they found to be most valuable to their development? What advice would they offer a college student about succeeding in the field?
Key: Listen when they answer!
Veer to the left, and you’ll probably have more fun. I’m not going to lie; the carefree college mentality may tug you back from time to time. But stay to the left? You’re going to wake up the day after graduation in panic mode. The opportunities you could have had as a student will be gone. Everyone who veered right will be interviewing, landing jobs …moving ahead with their lives.
Where do you want to be?
Kelly Mitton is an HR professional from Buffalo, NY. She graduated from University at Buffalo with a degree in Business and a concentration in Human Resource Management.
Article courtesy of Brand-Yourself.com for actionable tips to put you in a position of power in the job market
