Students Can't Ignore Important Activities And Still Expect To Land A Good Job
Share
When students go through college without doing any of the things that lead to the best jobs, they should expect to be disappointed. The competition for good jobs is stiff, even in an excellent job market. Employers do not relax their requirements just because they have more open jobs. And yet, each year, many students graduate from college unprepared to compete for those jobs.

Students who have already graduated or are in their senior year of college have no way of going back and performing the steps that should have been completed in the sophomore or junior year. Therefore, students who have done little to improve their chances for employment success should not expect to land a job that pays $40,000, $50,000 or $60,000 a year. When reality hits home, dreams of living on their own and enjoying a robust social life will have to be abandoned.

Landing a good job requires two or three years of preparation both inside and outside of the classroom. Here are seven steps that students should try to follow:

1. During the Freshman year, students should research the jobs that exist within their areas of interest to make certain that they will be happy with their career direction.

2. Select a major and minor that will strongly support their career direction.

3. Narrow down the jobs that may be of interest to them and find out which employers offer those jobs.

4. Do some research to determine what their target employers want, need and expect of candidates for the jobs that are of interest. Then, identify and seek out the actions, activities and results that will meet those job requirements.

5. Spend the next two plus years getting involved, participating, working and leading. That is how students gain experience, develop stories and build a list of accomplishments that can be used on their resumés and during interviews.

6. Build relationships with professors, employers and other impressive people who have observed their capabilities and would be willing to serve as enthusiastic references.

7. Frequently visit the Career Services Department for information and guidance.

Without these steps, students and recent graduates will find that they are invited to very few interviews for the jobs in their areas of interest and also pay a rate that allows them to live independently. That is why students must take control of their job search preparation activities as soon as they enter college. Job search preparation is a four year process, not a last minute flurry of activity. It is a process of finding out what their potential employers expect and then doing everything possible to give it to them.

Employers don’t understand why a student who wants to graduate with a good job would avoid doing the things that lead to good jobs. Four or more years in college is a long period of time to neglect the critical job search preparation activities that stimulate interest on the part of employers. Students can’t ignore the activities that employers want and need and still expect to land a good job. It just doesn’t work that way.