What is the purpose of college? Some say: To make money, to get a good job, or to develop marketable skills. The real purpose of college is to learn how to learn. Having said that, employers are counting on all college students to learn as much as they can while in college and then demonstrate how that experience has helped prepare them for the world of work. Here are five ways to prepare yourself for your future employer who wants to call your name:
1. Join student run organizations as early as freshmen year. Getting involved in student organizations fosters greater team work, helps you to develop work related skills, such as learning Roberts rules of order, overcoming fear of speaking in public, completing budget request for events on campus, developing event planning skills, promoting events with effective advertising and strategizing organization goals for effective programs and events.
2. Travel to student conferences. When communication students travel to annual conferences of the International Association of Business Communicators (www.iabc.org) in New York City, they were able to network with their peers from California to Florida.
One key valuable lesson that these students learned is that most communications students are involved in two to three internships in various advertising or public relations firms to help them to develop their skillsets. Networking with your colleagues will help you to prepare your skills more directly in line with your future career.
3. Attend Student Government meetings and learn how the SGA helps regulate policies, procedures and work to change things on campus. Most members of the SGA are leaders. Leadership is always valued by employers.
4. Get a job. Learning to balance work and school demonstrates to your future employer that you are area a well-adjusted college student who can handle multiple tasks and successfully maneuver projects simultaneously.
5. Visit your on campus career center at least once a month. Pick up free magazines, take assessments, develop skills and utilize services such as: Taking the Myers Briggs assessment, reading the occupational outlook handbook, completing the required career center portfolio, practicing interviews, researching companies and registering for the city career center services www.jobs4tn.gov.
6. Log on to your social media connections and develop your professional email address, twitter account, one page website, professional networking LinkedIn profile, and bio. It would be most helpful it all of these things are accessible on your smart phone.
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