Career Planning

“So what are you going to do after graduation?”

One week away from Spring Break… If you are graduating in May, your Spring Break will involve several people asking you one question:

“So what are you going to do after graduation?” signs-of-anxiety_0

If you are hoping to have a job, here are some things you can be doing now to set yourself up for success (and to have something to say when you get the dreaded question):

  1. RESUME – Update and have several people proofread your resume.  Upload your now perfected resume to your LinkedIn profile.  Complete your profile.
  2. LIST AND ADD – Make a complete list of your contacts, and email your close industry mentors to catch up over coffee.  Include your internship supervisors and anyone you have met along the way.  Everyone knows someone and everyone shares information when you are face-to-face.  Add all contacts (people that you actually know) on LinkedIn.
  3. RESEARCH – Research everything there is to know about your contacts’ companies, career paths, etc.  Make a list of questions to ask in your meetings.  For example – “how did you know you wanted to go into tour management?” “What do you love about your job?”  “What are some of the challenges?”
  4. MEET – Meet with your current contacts for coffee or lunch.  Then after meeting with those current contacts, go beyond the circle and reach out to the next layer of contacts.  Do an “advanced” search through LinkedIn to see how you can get in touch with the industry professionals that are working in your desired niches.  If you don’t know what you want to do – even better! – Reach out to people from all areas, and gather information to start zeroing in your goals.  (Hint – Offer to take people coffee to see the culture of the office and to minimize the time they have to spend away.)

People will drive your journey.  You will share your goals, and they will give you advice, or another person to meet, or a temporary job to get started, or maybe even a blueberry muffin.  Regardless, you are going to walk away from the meeting wiser, better connected, more self aware, and less tired/thirsty.

Enjoy the break and let us know if we can help you with your journey!