How to Help Students Prepare for Their Careers


Start working towards your entry-level career early in the game. Try these five proactive tips to prepare for your career and prevent an educational disaster.

1. Don’t procrastinate

One common misconception is that your professional experience starts after college. This incorrect student career advice can and will cost future opportunities. Start looking for opportunities before you graduate. Look for work related to your major. This provides an inside look at how the business functions. Accounting students may want to work as a receptionist at the local tax office.
An alternative is, federally-supported and funded work study program. This program matches students with semi-guaranteed jobs. Most of the job opportunities are located on-campus, and counsellors try to pick positions closest to your field of study. Just be prepared for the hours, Federal law prohibits colleges from assigning more than 30-hours per week. You may need to take a supplemental job to make up the loss.

2. Expand your knowledge

Students learn multiple skills in college. Some are related to your career; others may seem less useful. Expand your skills and knowledge. Companies look for team members with the ability to work in diverse settings. Look for courses that compliment your major. Speak with your academic advisor for help selecting elective courses that compliment your major. Employers want team members who meet deadlines with little to no errors.

3. Stay up-to-date

While some entry-level careers are more competitive than others, all jobs require work and preparation. Staying up-to-date on technology and industry trends that give you an advantage over other applicants. Most students are more up-to-date with technology than seasoned professionals, giving them the upper hand. Those same students however, show a lack of knowledge of industry trends. Visit your college library and read professional journals each month. These provide an in-depth look at the changing landscape inside your career and will help better prepare you for what’s to come. 
Consider this piece of student career advice: learning new technology or updating your software version knowledge is just as important as industry trends. Most universities and colleges provide, and even require, students to take introductory computer classes. These classes cover basic file creation and editing, operating system quirks, word processing and basic maintenance. Take advantage of the introductory and intermediate classes. But don’t forget older software. Some companies haven’t upgraded. Read up on the last two versions of Microsoft Office, Windows OS and the standard software used in your industry. Most libraries carry technology books dating back several years.
4. Pay attention in science and math class
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers represent one of the fastest growing industries. Technology is booming, making it an oil field of wealth. Visit the science and math Dean’s office, and speak with a counsellor. Explain to them you aren’t majoring in STEM but want to learn more about the field and gain analytical skills. They know the best classes to help you learn.
Performing arts teaches communication skills. Every professional benefits from communication, especially public speaking. Such classes help us build self-esteem, teach you how to overcome the fear of speaking and hopefully prepare you for various, spur of the moment scenarios.

5. Don’t forget about those internships

Internships are the lifeblood of college experience. And rightly so. Nothing beats a hands-on education. Just be careful to select the right internship to help work towards your entry-level career. Academic advisors recommend forgoing those large, competitive internships during your first two years in college. Instead, put more energy into local, small business internships. These businesses need the help and often offer more real-world education than those coffee-fetching, large company versions. Call their human resources department and inquire whether they accept interns and what the qualifications are. Don’t forget, your professors are your greatest allies.

Most of this student career advice requires a few years of planning to become effective. Don’t worry though, there is still time for students getting ready to walk the stage. The first step is optimizing your resume. While it is best to plan for your future and have the ammunition ready for your resume, most skills and experience are easily rewritten. Look for transferrable skills (i.e. leadership, communication, team building, etc.) Highlight those attributes and similar accomplishments. Use strong action verbs, and draw attention to what you can achieve for the company. Treat your abilities as merchandise for sale. Make the employer want you.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Study plans for college?

What is a study plan? A study plan is an organized schedule that students create that outlines study times and learning goals. Just like with work or school schedules, college students should develop a study schedule where they can block off days and times in their calendar dedicated to studying. If you are an online student, a study plan is even more important in your success in college, since you need to have self-discipline and determination to complete your studies without the constant reminders of an instructor. Why do I need a study plan? Every student will develop a different study plan; there is no correct study plan for everyone. When creating your personalized study plan, you will need to do some self-evaluation of your current schedule and time management. Remember, each student studies differently, so the amount of time you need to study will differ from the time your classmates devote to studying. Some students find that studying nightly for thirty minutes is mo...
Read more

Tips For Teachers in doing Better Presentations In Classroom

1. Establish one clear idea. Conventional wisdom of the past used to be about putting as much information and content into a presentation as possible. It was all about trying as hard as you could to come across as an authoritative figure who truly was a master of the subject. That barely works in higher education. Consider that you aren’t trying to teach someone everything you know in a short window, but rather making an impression for long-term retention. Focus on one idea with supporting information in a quick period of time. 2. Start with a compelling hook. Considering an average suggested presentation length is only around ten minutes, you don’t have to waste time. One thing that won’t vary is the need to grab students right off of the bat and have them paying attention from the first few seconds. When the average attention spans have shrunk down to around eight seconds, you know that you need to jump right in with something captivating. Obviously your presentation need...
Read more

Top 10 Tips for Primary School Teachers

1. Maintain a relationship with the parents Now more than ever you’re going to need to build up a good relationship with the parents of your students. They have more of an impact on them than anyone else in their lives, so you need to get to know them, and understand what their home life is like. The best way to do this is to make yourself available at the end of the school day, when children are being picked up. You can chat with them, and share what’s happened in the day. This works wonders for building strong relationships. 2. Be +ve in the classroom The fact is that positivity goes a long way towards a better behaved classroom , so encourage and help your students wherever you can. A few words of praise when they’re getting right will sit so much better than a heavy handed approach when things go wrong. 3. Understand your subject As a primary teacher this sounds like a difficult task, but you need a good understanding of your subject in order to teach it. If you don’t,...
Read more