Mackenzie Sheldon | Opinion editor
You find yourself in the final stretch of college. The terrorizing month of January ended and now we're on to never-ending February. You’ve got so much time to get your life in order! So wrong. Realistically, Spring is only about 4 and a half weeks away. March 20th is the first day of spring, a month later it’ll be April 20th, and a month after that we’ll be walking across that stage in the XL Center. That degree is going to feel so much better in your hands once you actually know what you’re going to do with it.
As a senior, it can be jarring to think about the next steps. Graduate high school, pick a college, go to classes, and get the degree 4 years later; now what? These thoughts are normal, and they can become more overwhelming with May being only 3 months away. For those who are taking college day by day and procrastinating on the job search, like me, this is a crucial read.
I want to share some tips that helped me personally. Getting on your feet is the first step and while May seems far now, I promise it’s going to come up quickly. In other words, use these tools to help you figure your shit out, or you’re going to grab that degree with an open hand but an empty path.
Start: resume, cover letter, Linkedin…
Emphasize the start. I know it can be overwhelming to be told you need a resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, Indeed, or even a portfolio, so it can lead to fear and procrastination. So I urge you just to start all of these. Go down the list. You need a resume. So find a template you like. Check out videos on resume examples, and maybe even just insert the link to the video in your blank resume so you can look back at it as a reference when you are ready to start typing. Now you need a cover letter. Again, find a template you like, find a video on how to write one, etc. For LinkedIn and other career websites, just simply sign up. It will take you only a few minutes and when you have time, start inputting information. Again, you don’t have to finish one to start the next. You can be working on all of them! A career advisor can also assist you in filling these out.
Make an appointment with an advisor
I started off by making an appointment with a career advisor in the Academic Success Center. To make an appointment, go through Insight which can be found using the search tool on the Eastern website. It will show you who is available and at what times. You can leave a blurb about what you would like to discuss in the meeting as well. Even though I had never met them, I liked being honest with my advisor. In the blurb, I wrote exactly how I was feeling and exactly what I needed from her. I said that I had all the job prep, with no idea where to look. I could show you a great resume, a fantastic linkden, but I have no clue what to do with it. If you are in a similar situation, an appointment with them would be a perfect start to get the career search moving. Even if you don’t have the career prep, the advisors and student workers can help you create resumes, cover letters, etc.
Talk with your faculty advisor or professors
This is your advisor assigned to your major. Send them an email or meet with them in person to discuss some possible career paths. They may have alumni or other networks that would be able to talk to you about jobs you’re interested in. Also, try talking to a professor. This may be one that taught a class in your major that you really enjoyed taking or you might just have a good relationship with them. They may be able to point you in the right direction to networks or careers as well.
The dreaded career quiz. Take it.
For some reason, career quizzes stress me OUT. They irk me to my very core. When I went to my career advising appointment, I was distraught to find out my homework was to take this quiz. This quiz in particular was extremely insightful though. If you search for online tools, Guides, and Career Exploration, you will be greeted by a page FULL of career preparation. From interview guides, to graduate school searches, to basic personality tests, each tool is designed to help you thrive during and after college. Focus 2 was my homework after the meeting. I was asked to take 5 separate quizzes to make my full report on what careers best suit me. I took the work interests assessment, values assessment, personality assessment, leisure assessment, and skill assessment.
I was pleased to find out that the career that best fits all of my 5 quiz results was marketing. I knew I had this interest, but it made me feel more secure knowing that I was suited for it. I know many people including myself who are afraid to get into a job because they will feel like an imposter. Many who are great at their jobs struggle with imposter syndrome. Taking this quiz is beneficial to anyone who needs to hear that they would thrive in the field they are interested in. You can also filter the quiz results. For example, you can only have it show you careers that match your values and personality, or careers that match your work ethic and values. You can also have a career advisor go over your results with you.
Of course, you could just ignore all of this advice, wing it, and hope for the best—because nothing says "career success" like sheer panic three weeks before graduation. But if you’d rather not be hyperventilating into a paper bag when someone asks, “What are your plans after school” I suggest taking these steps now. I will say, I should’ve taken these steps sooner, I’m a D1 procrastinator too. Not judgment, this is a safe space. But make that appointment like I did, write that resume, and, for the love of all things good, take the career quiz. Future you, in a cap and gown, will thank you.
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