New Year’s resolutions are easy to make, but hard to keep. Instead of making the same resolutions you make every year, resolve to prepare for your career and improve your grades with a few important steps.
Find Your Best Career(s)
Career planning should be important to every college student, but many don’t consider their career goals until after graduation. Choosing the right career involves learning about your personality, interests and values. Visit the Top Ten Sites for Career Planning for reliable career information. You don’t need to narrow your choices down to just one career. Identifying your ideal work environment, interests, and values will help you choose the right positions throughout your career.
Get an Internship
An internship is the new entry level job. Many companies hire former interns and employers expect internship experience from recent graduates. Internships provide opportunities to make industry connections and pick up valuable skills. If nothing else, you’ll have work experience to put on your resume.
Update Your Resume
A resume isn’t just for finding a job, it’s a way to document your skills and accomplishments. Even if graduation is a few years away, create a resume now and update it at least once a semester. What should you put on your resume? Relevant coursework, projects, papers, volunteer work, and part-time jobs. Employers value work experience, even if it’s just part-time work, because it demonstrates reliability and a work ethic. Read Resume Advice for College Students for more on creating a resume in college.
Set a Time and Place for Studying
Time management may be the most important skill for college and career success. Setting a specific time and place to get work done will allow you to get more accomplished in less time. Find a quiet place with no distractions and set times on your calender for studying.
Keep your resolutions by creating specific steps you’ll take to reach each goal and by making each goal realistic. Visiting your college career center is a great first step for all resolutions listed above.