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5 ways to jump-start your career while in college

May 01, 2020 - Phoebe Huff

College is an odd, in-between time for childhood and adulthood. Everyone tells you to enjoy these years. However, there is also tremendous pressure to prepare for the rest of your life. Thankfully, you can do both. It is important to have a social life, but it is also important to gain real experience that is preparing you for life after college.

People will say that you won’t be able to build a “stacked” resume by the time you graduate college, or that building your resume means you will have to be in the spotlight all the time. I think both of those things are false. Speaking from my own experience, I will be graduating with multiple internships and jobs that have taken me all over the nation, with the occasional international stint. Also, many of the opportunities I had operated in the background, and no one knew I was behind it.

There will always be a million excuses not to try something. I am not saying it won’t feel uncomfortable or scary in the beginning, but I believe that great things challenge you. There are many ways to go about preparing yourself, but here are five ways I have learned to get a jump-start on my career while being a full-time student.

Use your breaks very wisely. You don’t have school! It is good to rest a little, but use your breaks to advance your career by looking for job and internship opportunities. Challenge yourself and shoot the long shot. Being wise and playing it safe because you are scared are not the same thing. Breaks are built-in times in your life to try on different careers that will lead you to clarity. Do not take this time for granted.
Ask your professors for help. Your professors want the best for you. Do not be scared to ask them for help. Ask them about internships, opportunities at school or part-time work you could be doing.
Start working on your online presence. We live in a media-saturated world and so now, more than ever, will your online presence be vital. Not only do employers look at your social media, but you will likely use platforms like LinkedIn to search for jobs. Many jobs also require you to provide them with a link to your website portfolio. Take it from me: putting websites and portfolios together take longer to create than you might think.
Take things into your own hands. A lot of the experiences that helped me grow were things I initiated on my own. I needed more opportunities to work on my writing, so I started a blog. I wanted to work on videography, so I started my own channel. I wanted to work on my public speaking, so I started a podcast. If there is an area you want or need to grow in but do not see an established opportunity, then make one! This also shows you are a self-starter who is eager to learn (employers love this).
Start networking. It is something we all know we have to do, but few want to. Networking is just building relationships. There are many ways to do networking efficiently. Networking is as broad as asking an acquaintance if you can meet with them for 20 minutes to learn what to do to going to a networking event, which are popular in larger cities. Networking events sound intimidating, but just go with it and they can be a lot of fun and a great way to meet people in your field.

Make the decision to put in the effort – this is what will set you apart. The thing to remember is to take things just one step at a time. Life doesn’t happen overnight, but making the decision to work toward the life you want can happen in a moment.

I would encourage you do one of these five things a few hours a week, if you can manage it. You will be amazed at how fast all these things add up and set you up for the career you want!