Pretty recently I completely changed the direction I wanted to go with my life. My career trajectory did a complete one-eighty, and I’ve found myself wondering (i.e. worrying) about whether or not I’d get a job within a year of graduation. Moving back home isn’t really an option for me. Neither is “discovering myself” while I travel around the world with the help of my modest savings account. With so few options outside of finding a full-time job that will pay the bills, I’ve opened myself up to all the career planning/life coaching advice I can get.
So far the advice that’s stuck with me the most is Professor Rando’s, my professor for both Fundamentals of Management and Entrepreneurship. His words of wisdom are this: “Always go to events and lectures you see happening on campus.” At first, I shrugged of this little tidbit because I already loved going to talks given by well-established experts, and I tried to attend as many fun events as I could. However, it wasn’t until I turned on my job finding radar that I really got what he was saying. I know we’ve all been beaten over the head with how important networking is, but I can’t stress it enough. Getting to meet so many different people who could potentially connect you with your dream job is invaluable. You never know who knows who in whatever industry you’re interested in. More importantly, you never know where you might end up. Fifteen years from now your career may be pivoting and you end up within a field you never thought you’d be in, and standing in front of you is someone you could have had the opportunity to meet one-on-one when they had come to speak at your university.
Even beyond networking, there is so much great advice guest speakers and company representatives dole out. I’ve been in several classes that center around the industry personnel who come in and speak every week. Without a doubt, there’s always a gem that I can take away from what they had to say—whether it’s how to effectively prepare for an interview, or the one thing you should always include in your contracts when getting a promotion. Taking advantage of your university’s resources seems like a no-brainer. You’re already paying for it within your tuition and the events almost always happen on campus, so you don’t even have to travel beyond your own backyard to get there. Yet we still flake on the hundreds of opportunities we’re given to secure a great job, because we underestimate how important networking is its assurances that we end up employed after graduation. Don’t make the mistake of believing that nothing will ever come of sending that follow up email after a meet and greet. There are a thousand ways to get a great job, but just remember that great networking is on the top of that list.