As I approached the second semester of my junior year, I started to consider my future. We are contstantly reminded of the unemployment and underemployment rates amongst college grads and how bad the economy is. I started to think about how I would stand out to future employers in such a competitive job market. I soon found my answer: a great internship! I figured that if I work at a great company while still in college, I can prove how intelligent and professional I am and that absolutely will land me a good job once I graduate. After researching and favorite-ing over 100 internships on InternMatch.com I realized I was not ready to apply. I did not feel confident that my resume demonstrated what I want to do and how well I can do it; not for an internship, let alone an actual job. So, after I had a mini panic attack, I made a plan for success. I conjured up some resume building guidelines and tools; and I vowed to follow them this semester and the rest of my time at IUP, and most importantly to share them.
1. Identify Your Goals- If you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your major, talk to someone. Your advisor and your department’s faculty can help steer you in the right direction. We also have a career center on campus, but I believe your professors and advisors would be more equipped to help.
2. Find a Mentor- Ask your teachers if they need help with research or a project. Chances are they will say yes. You will learn so much more from doing real research and work than you would a boring lecture; and you could earn credit. Also, if you do well, you could get a great professional reference out of it.
3. Get Involved- I think this is the most important piece of advice. Once you know what your focus is, take advanced classes in that area. Join clubs, things like mock trial for future law professionals, IUP-TV if you want to work in the television industry or Her Campus if you want to write ;) There is most likely a club or association for anything you want to do in your major, you just have to ask and get involved. If there really isn’t a professional organization in your field, talk to you mentor about starting one. Starting a club would look great on a resume, too!
4. Revise Your Resume- Now that you are participating in important groups and projects and learning valuable things, add it to your resume! Every club in which you actively participate and the positions you hold in those clubs can be added to your resume in a way that displays what you have learned and what skills you now possess.
Good luck!