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Beside internships, how can college students build their professional development toward entry-level careers?

#college-student #human-resources #professional-development #JULY20

july20 human-resources college-student professional-development
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Dexter’s Answer

Hi Ian,

I would recommend the following:
1. Get any job. Even if it's a part time job, even if it's doing the dishes, most managers I know (and myself), look favorable on candidates with some kind of job experience. Even if it's hard to find jobs due to the way things are now, there are still people hiring, so try your best to land a job. If you can't...
2. Volunteer. There are tons of volunteering opportunities at all times, but given COVID, perhaps the best volunteering gigs I can recommend are virtual ones, like those on catchafire.org. By volunteering, you still show to your future prospective employer that you can work in a real-life environment (unlike the very controlled school environments) and can take direction and work in a team. If you can't...
3. Write blogs or research papers regarding the subject that you're interested in. My brother had the toughest time breaking into computer science, and finding a programming job, but he loved math and programming, so he wrote a research paper by himself. It was really useful to him in interviews, as he was very unique, and the employer could look through the research paper to measure his competence.
4. Network. Reach out to all the resources that you have (companies near you, your university, your friends, friend's parents, etc) to make something happen. Ask them about career opportunities that they know of, volunteering opportunities, trends that they're seeing, or simply ask them to perform a mock interview with you. Exhaust your resources to improve yourself, and it'll help you when the real opportunity comes knocking on your door.

I wish you the best of luck Ian!

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Dexter
Thank you comment icon Hi Dexter, Thank you for the amazing suggestions. Glad to share that I've been fortunate enough to keep busy with current events, online learning through LinkedIn, among other plans to complete an internship this upcoming school year. Please take good care in the months ahead! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the comment, Ian. :) Yeah, happy to connect with ya on LinkedIn. :) Dexter Arver
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Brenna’s Answer

There are tons of free certifications online for Salesforce and Google. Try to search around for any free ones you can. Look up well-known software programs and see what type of certifications they can offer. Your resume should have keywords that match certifications or well-known companies and that will allow your resume to stand out more. On that note, fine-tuning your resume to fit nicely onto one page can help get noticed. Also when choosing the jobs you like, adjust your resume to have matching words from the job description. Don't use the exact same resume for every opportunity.

If you don't have a lot of work experience, a cover letter is where you can shine, so make sure you have one that represents your readiness to learn and any skills you may have. Most importantly, apply to as many jobs as possible and take volunteer opportunities if you can because that shows well-roundedness.
Thank you comment icon Hi Brenna, thank you for your suggestions on completing certifications in different specialty areas. This is one of my set goals to complete throughout the remainder of summer. I also found your insight to both resume and cover letter polishing, are a necessity toward internship or career opportunities. Please take good care in the months ahead, Brenna! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
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Madison’s Answer

Being active on campus will definitely help in those areas! I recommend joining different organizations and hold a leadership role on the Executive Board. Starting collegiate with leadership roles on campus will help you become known on campus and open up new opportunities/networking with your field.
Thank you comment icon Hi Madison, thank you for the suggestion. I'm happy to share that I will be next year's Student Body President at Menlo College, where I will work closely with student life and promoting campus engagement. Student government is a great leadership opportunity where I'm grateful to have served two years, leading into my third consecutive year. I would also acknowledge that student leadership positions build foundations for great storytelling and problem solving, which are two of my favorite takeaways thus far. Please take good care in the months ahead, Madison! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
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Alison’s Answer

Hi Ian, this is a great question, and there's definitely a lot of opportunities to building experience! I'd recommend finding any leadership or work positions on campus that may be helpful. This will give you practice in leading projects or collaborating with others that you may not get in classes or even in an internship. Just keep in mind when you're researching these positions that it should be something you can talk about successfully in an interview or application.

You can always start your own club/organization if you so choose, this can be a great opportunity too in developing leadership skills. The experience you gain outside of internships can also provide variety to your story/resume and help you practice solving different problems. Good luck!
Thank you comment icon Hi Abby, thank you for the suggestion. I'm happy to share that I will be next year's Student Body President at Menlo College, where I will work closely with student life and promoting campus engagement. Student government is a great leadership opportunity where I'm grateful to have served two years, leading into my third consecutive year. I also agree that student leadership positions do indeed build foundations for great storytelling and problem solving, which are two of my favorite takeaways thus far. Please take good care in the months ahead, Abby! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
Thank you comment icon Hey Ian, that's awesome, glad to hear you've got the position! I think you've really set yourself up for success and wish you the best as well moving forward! Alison Yen
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Chris’s Answer

Ian,

Take on a part-time job, especially one that puts you in front of people. Food service & retail are great teachers if you keep your mind open to learn. You'll learn a ton about how to interact with others from all walks of life in a single week. With this job, you must:

1. Keep a great attitude. Smiling in the face of adversity is an underrated skill. We need more kindness in this world.
2. Put forth maximum effort. If you're unwilling to do the mundane tasks, what might that say about your effort in your chosen career?
3. Learn to respect and empathize with others.
4. Be your best. Being THE best is great, but rarely achievable. Stay humble

Keep a written log of your unique experiences. They'll serve you well in your interviews.
Thank you comment icon Hi Chris, thank you for the suggestions. This is great advice, that I can attest to in the food service industry— by engaging with all sorts of different people. Unique opportunities like these do indeed make for good stories and learning experiences to share with others. Please take good care in the months ahead! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
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Natalie’s Answer

This is a great question. I recommend the following:
1. Volunteering
2. Completing an online certification or training course (excel, SQL, etc.)
3. Networking
Thank you comment icon Hi Natalie, thank you for your suggestions. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question on CareerVillage. Wishing you well and please take good care! Ian
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Michael’s Answer

This is a great question. Personally, I think the response that mentioned volunteering and networking are spot on. I would also highly recommend pursuing professional designations/certifications which are specific to the industry you are looking to enter. In addition to the expertise and learning you receive by completing, the commitment to the industry you're looking to enter really shows. I would also recommend getting a mentor in the industry who can help coach you along the way and help you get entered into the field you're looking for. The additional knowledge gain through mentorships will help you prepare for the position and help you grow professionally. I hope this helps!
Thank you comment icon Hi Michael, thank you for the amazing suggestions. Glad to share that I've been fortunate enough to keep busy with networking and online education through LinkedIn Learning, during quarantine. Building on professional certifications, this is one of my set goals to complete throughout the remainder of summer. I also want to acknowledge your advice to seek some form of a mentorship program, where I can get an edge for what to expect as an entry-level HR intern. Please take good care in the months ahead, Michael! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
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Gloria’s Answer

I have to second another post that you have here. Volunteer. You can garner a wide variety of skills while volunteering. I would challenge you to volunteer with a variety of organizations and ask them to assign you tasks that could play to the skills of your chosen major. If you are going into a career where you will be meeting new people all the time, volunteer with an organization where the primary responsibility is interacting with strangers, such as serving in a food kitchen or requesting donations for a cause. There are other non-profits who may need your skills as a web developer to help support them. There are also more jobs that a non-profits need done than they have people to do them.
Thank you comment icon Hi Gloria, thank you for the suggestions. I agree that volunteering builds relationships with people, whom I may not have previously come into contact with. Networking is an area I've notice, is especially important in order to grow and expand connections. Fortunately, I've been able to complete a remote internship this past Fall 2019 semester, where I helped a non-profit organization promote scholarship and grant opportunities to Hawaii high school student-athletes. I will forever be grateful for that volunteer opportunity. Please take good care in the months ahead, Gloria! Hope to connect on LinkedIn. All the best, Ian Ian
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Irene’s Answer

Networking is key to getting positions at several companies. If your university has such events like Career Fair, you should go and talk to those professionals there. They are there for you and are ready to answer your questions about job development and more. Even if you do not get offered a job at these fairs, you walk away with more knowledge then you had prior to the event.
Thank you comment icon Hi Irene, thank you for the suggestion. I see that you're also an HR Intern, congrats! I am also in the process of completing a remote internship with an organization in the Bay Area of California. Wishing you well in 2021! Ian
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Nikita’s Answer

Hello Ian,
Please see below. How college students build their professional development toward entry-level careers, besides internships.
1) Check out linkedIn learning or Lynda.com. some colleges have partnerships with these platforms and this is a great way to get certifications and build your skills as well. You can add them to your resume!
2) Do volunteering opportunities - great way to build leadership experience
3) Get involved on campus: think about clubs for your major!
4) Research opportunities with professors and TAs.
Thank you,
Nikita
Thank you comment icon Hi Nikita, thank you for your suggestions. I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question on CareerVillage. Wishing you well and please take good care! Ian
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