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Starting Your Senior Year in College? Here are Some Tips!

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Written by CB Experts

You’re a senior! It may feel like it took you no time to get here or it may feel like you would never get here. But, you are here. Like your senior year in high school, you should have one major goal, only this time it will not be to get into a good college but to find a good job.

Here are some tips about how to start your job search, and yes, it should start at the beginning of your senior year.

Start Early and Earnestly – Don’t be complacent because you are now a campus veteran and know your way around. You should be gearing up for change and developing an attitude to “go get ‘em.” It is better to be pushing for a job from the start than waiting until finals or after finals when you might be panicking or in crisis mode. Senior year is not a year to coast; it’s a year to begin to take on the job of getting a job.

Go to Your Campus Career Center – Introduce yourself to this resource and keep using it. Get help developing a résumé, sign up for career events, practice interviewing skills, and become familiar with the professionals working in the center. Let them know your skills and your goals. They might be able to give you tips or find what matches your needs because they know you.

Go to the Registrar’s Office – Check to make sure you have all the necessary credits and all the paperwork done that you need to ensure you are really graduating. You might be surprised at the glitches that can occur.

Prepare for the Real World of Job Competition – You will need to stand out as well as research what you’re heading into.
1. Develop a narrative: gather together your selling points: courses, skills, experience, character and assets for the job(s) you are seeking. It should be short but compelling. Use it in conversation at your job interviews or in your cover letter.
2. Network: Connect with recent graduates who might help you with your job search by identifying pitfalls or short cuts. Also network with people who work in the area of your job search. Learn their language and talk to them about the ins and outs of the job.

Gear up, get out, and gain entry in all the ways you can during your senior year in college. The next step is your future.

About the author

CB Experts

Content created by retired College Admissions consultants.