After graduating from college, you are expected to have a job and your life figured out. However, finding a job that is right for you, knowing what you want, and having the skills that employers are looking for can be difficult without some guidance. The career center is a great starting point for resume building, but also internship searches and even the final stages of the interview process for the “perfect” job. I want to share some tips that I have learned from meeting with my career counselor.
Nobody is perfect
This may sound cliché but hear me out. My amazing counselor showed me that not every employer or interviewer will think I am the perfect fit. Likewise, I will not love each company or agency I apply to, and this is OKAY. I think a lot of us are taught to take the job we are offered and ask questions later. But this is an outdated mindset. Look at companies that you see yourself in but also keep an open mind and don’t try to fit in just because you feel like you should. You will not be happy at a place you settle for.
Resumes only give a glimpse of you
Your resume will not be able to tell a future employer everything about you. You cannot show them your absolute whole self, but you can show them the things that, without you, couldn’t have happened. You want employers to be impressed enough with you on paper so they can call you in. And once you’re in their office, you can show them the true you. Make someone want to meet you in person.
They are there for much more than resume building
Yes, resumes are a great way to seek advice, but they can also help you map out the necessary steps you need to take. For example, if you wanted to go into politics, your counselor could show you ways people have done it in the past and choose the best path for you. She can show you where to find other politicians to follow and how to get working on campaigns.
Counseling
Your counselor can really help lessen some of that post-graduation stress as well as the anxiety that comes with college. Talking to parents and friends can only go so far. Parents think they know best and you aren’t always in the same position as your friends, so conversations can only hold so much.
The career center can be intimidating to walk into, but I assure you it can only be helpful. Take the first leap and go see the counselor today and start planning!
Want to see if this works for you, too? The Hegi Career Center has open drop-in hours from Monday -Thursday 11 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. & Friday 11 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2 p.m.-4 p.m.