Staying focused while still finding rest and relaxation
Summer is that time of the year when students finally feel like they can take a deep breath and chill out. Many of our students go back home, take summer classes, or start a summer-long internship. There are plenty of different options and paths, but everyone would agree that a summer without a full load of classes is one of the most freeing times of your collegiate career.
With this in mind, we want to offer our Summer To-Do List that will keep all of our students, regardless of summer plans, on track and focused for staying ahead of the game in professional/career development. We created a list of 8 easy things that you can do as you head into summer to prepare yourself for future opportunities:
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Maintain your resume - this is one that we're sure you have heard throughout the year, but take the summer to really fine tune your resume for the upcoming Fall semester. Upload your resume to Charger Path when you’re satisfied with it. We will offer feedback and revisions so that your resume is as strong as possible.
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Update your LinkedIn profile - take some time to update your LinkedIn profile with all of the new information that portrays who you are as an employee. If you have questions, or maybe don’t have a LinkedIn profile, review our previous blog post here for some helpful tips.
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Review your Charger Path account - in the same way that you update your resume and LinkedIn, review all the information on your Charger Path account to make sure it’s updated. Employers can look at your account on Charger Path so you want it to be as pristine as possible. (Link here if you don’t have one)
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Add future career events to your calendar - this upcoming Fall we have a ton of events coming up to help students find jobs or develop their skills as professionals. Whether it’s workshops or career fairs, we post everything coming up for you guys on Charger Path. Go ahead and start making plans for specific events you want to go to.
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Research different fields or companies you are interested in - start reading about the different fields you may want to pursue. You want to be as knowledgeable as possible and this will help you learn more about what is out there for your major. Check out the link here to find out what jobs are available per major.
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Practice your interviewing skills - whether it’s with our staff at Career Services, your roommate, dog, cat, whomever, it’s important that you continue polishing your interviewing skills and keep growing in these ways. You never know when you will need to interview.
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Find a mentor - find someone who is in the field you are interested in pursuing and ask them to begin investing in you. They will be able to share a wealth of knowledge and advice for not just your future career, but life in general. If you can’t find one, then just wait until Fall for our Mentor-A-Charger (MAC) program.
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Discuss your plans with family and friends - the more you discuss your plans, the more you will be able to fine tune them. Talk with those you love about what you think you want to do and listen to their responses. They will be able to offer you wisdom and insight as you grow as a professional.
Take May to rest and unwind, you definitely deserve a break. Take one week per tip to break it up and tackle all of these during June-July. Remember that summers are great opportunities to take care of some professional housekeeping. Our office will be open throughout the Summer if you need assistance. Stay on top of everything and your future self will thank you.
