How to Prep For a Career While in College
Starting Early: Make it A Habit, Setting Yourself Up For Success
You’ve found a profession you’re passionate about, and you can’t wait to dive into the industry? Glad to hear it! Attending college is the first step to success, but it’s never too early to prepare yourself for your future career. Here are a few practical tips that are sure to help you go far in the future.
Learn to study
Good study habits can make a huge difference in the workplace. Your future employer will be impressed at your organizational, and time management skills. You’ll be sure to wow them with how quickly you learn new things.
Studying doesn’t have to involve a busy library and countless hours of taking and memorizing notes. If that works for you, more power to ya, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Keep it interesting, get more study tips here.
Have fun with it, write up some flash cards, compose a song, draw pictures, get your friends involved, make it a game. There are so many ways you can make studying a more enjoyable and effective use of your time. If you tailor your study sesh to meet your specific learning needs, you’ll retain information way easier.
If you really hate studying, try summarizing your notes after class. It’s a great way to ensure that you understand everything you were just taught. Pro-tip: this is super helpful for meetings too. You’ll spend less time studying because you’ll be more familiar with the subject matter. Bonus!
Studying teaches you how to find and focus on the important aspects of a project. Studying will help you become more reliable, focused, and responsible. It hones your ability to think critically, work efficiently, and remain organized. These are all excellent qualities that’ll make you stand out in a crowd. Become a good worker before you even start working.
Get involved
Nothing looks better to a potential employer than genuine passion. Getting involved in your industry before graduating is a great way to get an early start on your career. If you’re an English major, attend some writer workshops. If you’re studying advertising, check out some agencies or participate in the Ontario Colleges’ marketing competition. If you’re in the trades, go to a home and garden trade show to network and hand out resumes to potential summer employers. Try to go out and experience the industry and develop real interest in the things you’re studying.
If you have questions about life in the field, who can answer them better than someone who actually works in it? Try to snag some informational interviews. Interviews don’t always have to be about getting an internship or a job. A simple conversation over coffee, picking someone’s brain for 15 minutes, or even just a phone call can make all the difference. Get the As to all your Qs. It shows that you’re hungry for knowledge, and it makes the person you’re interviewing feel important. Win-win, right?
Not only does all this show that you care about the field you’re going into, but it’s a great way to start networking. Make lasting connections with people in your industry. Having friends in your field is a great tool to have in your belt. Who knows if you’ll need a favour one day?
Get to work
Get your name out there. Start looking for internship opportunities during the summer. Don’t let yourself forget anything you learned. It might be tempting to chill out during the summer, and forget about school for a bit, but getting a head-start in your field will look better on your CV. Gain real-world experience. Improve your portfolio. Set a goal and do whatever it takes to achieve it. Potential employers will recognize your efforts and you’ll be rewarded for it. It’s hard work but, it’ll be well worth it when you have a job straight out of college.
Not sure where to get started? Talk to an AC career advisor. These councilors can point you in the right direction. They’ll show you countless possibilities, and help you lay out your options. Career advisors can tell you how your CV looks, how to network with people, what kind of jobs are out there, and what to say during an interview. This is a powerful tool you shouldn’t forget to use.
Speaking of CVs, is yours looking a little drab? Revamp it. It might seem like a tiny detail, but this is the first thing your future employer will see. It represents your brand and it embodies who you are. If you take the time to make it look nice, it shows that you put care and effort into everything you do. Need help? Try resume.com. This site has dozens of free, stylish templates perfect for your resume.
Change it up
Sometimes we stop caring. Sometimes we forget why we do things. We lose track of our goals, or we lose inspiration. It sucks, but it’s normal. You can counter this in a few different ways.
Have you lost motivation in class? Is it getting harder to take notes? Switch up your note-taking method. Buying a new notepad and pens, or even starting a new Google doc can refresh your brain and help you think more clearly. If you’re having trouble paying attention, sit at the front of the class. You’ll feel worse about watching cat videos if your prof catches you doing it. While you’re at it, make eye contact with your teacher. You’re more likely to pay attention to something if you’re already looking at it.
This will train your brain to be more alert in the workplace, too. You’ll use these skills in future endeavors and it’ll pay off big time. From taking notes in meetings, to asking pertinent questions, your performance will improve. If your boss sees how alert and attentive you are, you’re golden.
Keep at it
Your future career might seem like it’s far away but the best time to get into the swing of things is now! It’s never a bad time to build good habits. Become a better you, and never settle because there’s always room to improve. Your future self will be grateful that you did. You’re going to do great!
