Tips for College Seniors transitioning to Young Professional Life

Hello my Young Professional Friends! If you are new here welcome, if you have been around the block, welcome back! As the title says, this is for the College Seniors out there, but also for anyone in the early professional job hunt. This can be a super stressful, but also extremely exciting part of your life. You are essentially hopping into full blown adulthood.This was honestly my most unknown step of my life, and once I took the big leap I did not regret it for a second. Here are some tiny tips for you! I hope to be doing more on this subject so let me know what you think!

1// Update your resume and cover letter: Go to your career service center and ask them to edit it. Something that also is helpful is having a resume on file for different positions. By catering your resume to certain positions (Sales, Marketing, HR, etc.) this can better show your skill set. Do this for your cover letter as well. An extra pro tip if you take any time off, showcase what you were doing in that time. Employers want to see that you can gear towards them, rather than have to build you up. 

2// Update your Linkedin: There is a big line from what is okay and not okay on Linkedin. You do not have to have a professional photographer take a photo of you in a blazer. You can honestly have an iphone photo with you in professional clothing have the same effect. Just make sure your resume is up to date and your photo is of only you and not  a selfie.

3// Tell People: As weird as it sounds, everyone wants you to have a job. It looks good on them. Alumni want you to succeed,  current employers, professors, other students, neighbors, parents friends, I can not tell you how many people helped me throughout this whole job search. It honestly takes a village, and so many people want to help you, so take the help!

4// Find Where You Fit: You are not going to have your dream job out of college, and you probably are not going to be making your dream salary. Most established and credible employers will give you an outline of at least a 3 year plan. Personally, I wanted to go into logistic. It was what I interned with and I knew I enjoyed it. However, If an employer were to pick a communications major or an actual supply chain major, they will 99 times out of a 100 times pick the supply chain major. I had to be a little more realistic. I found that finding the niche that fit me rather than what I thought it would be fit a lot better, so be opened minded. 

5// Be Open: Going off that, so many people end up where they never expected. I know English majors who ended up in finance, and liberal arts majors who ended up in web design. It will all work out I promise.

5// Be your best self: One part of the job hunt is showcasing yourself, but also finding a place that you think you will fit. I know that is a hard concept to grasp, but when you go on an interview, you are also interviewing. So make sure that the place you are heading you love what you are getting into, you will be there a while!

You got this I promise! Rock it out, and go show the world what you are made of!

Lastly If you are traveling your senior year to look for apartments or traveling for the job hunt hit up Airbnb. Seriously they are such a lifesaver!