Ideas for building your career — Joyce’s Career Tip of the Week

May 2018 is already history and June has begun. Summers between college semesters have a way of flying by quickly. Take some time this vacation to make progress on your career plans. Here are a few suggestions:

Get a job!

Finding work where you can apply what you are learning in classes is the ideal scenario. Another option would be to do unrelated work in a company that hires professionals who are doing the work you hope to do — even if your actual assignments are not related to your major. The opportunities for networking can be outstanding. However, remember that all work experience is valuable — especially if you have never had a job before.

Spend time with LinkedIn

Improve your profile. Add connections. Join some groups and participate in conversations. Build your network. Follow targeted companies. Arrange to meet a new connection in person. See if connections can result in opportunities for job shadowing.

Get a head start for the fall recruiting season

Peer career coaches and professional staff are working over the summer. You can make appointments through Handshake to meet with them in person at Centerpoint on the Tempe campus or at the Academic Center on the Polytechnic campus. There are also alternatives to meeting in person, which can be found in Handshake. You can get help with résumés, LinkedIn, career fair preparation, interviewing and job search strategies. Take advantage of the opportunity to do this work without the pressure of classes, tests and homework. The fall recruiting season starts early. It is already time to start getting ready!

 

Joyce Donahue is a career counselor in the Fulton Schools Career Center. She is a nationally certified career counselor and holds “Master Career Counselor” membership status in the National Career Development Association.