Life after college may be very exciting to think about, and for good reason, but it is still something that you need to prepare for. Here are some tips that you can use so you are not entering the real world blindly.
Follow these Tips for Preparing your Life After College
It’s Who You Know
When you are a professional out in the world, remember that it’s who you know that matters. Take the time to make strong connections while you are still in school that you may be able to leverage while you are out of school. Keeping in contact with fellow classmates, professors, coaches, and reaching out to alumni associations are all to your advantage when job hunting begins.
Get Rid of Questionable Social Media Posts
While those kegger photos you posted when you were a freshman may have seemed hilarious at the time, your future employer will most likely frown on them. The same mind-set goes for political rants to anything that involves sensitive subjects. A good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn’t show it to your grandmother, don’t show it at all.
Craft Your Resume
Start to work on your resume now so that it will be ready to send out the moment you graduate. While paper resumes are still around, emailed resumes are more popular than ever. Keep the resume simple and try to focus on things that are pertinent to the job you are looking for. While working at a fast-food restaurant when you were 15 is certainly admirable, it doesn’t have much bearing on your future career prospects.
Get A Real Email Address
By a real email address, we mean an address that sounds professional. If the email address is something like beerdude23, it isn’t going to be appropriate in the professional world. Keep it simple, such as your first initial and your last name or even your full name presented as all one word.
Email Signature
Along with a professional email address, you’ll want an email signature that provides your name and phone number, along with other contact information. This is so that business contacts have as much information as possible to contact you with, not everything can be completed via email.
Business Profile
Almost everyone entering the professional world these days has a LinkedIn profile. This is where you put the information that makes you shine. Put all of your relevant work history, internship history, school attended, and fraternities or alumni groups of which you are a member. Make sure your profile photo is clear and professional-looking as well. When it comes to social media profiles, first impressions are everything and with so much competition in the workforce, you very well may not get looked at a second time.
School Loans
When you are still in school, it may be tempting to take out government-backed loans, however, you may want to consider private student loans instead. Not only are these great at building credit and a strong relationship with the lender, but you can also renegotiate the terms and payments if your financial situation changes. Most lenders have online loan calculators that you can use to help you visualize repayment options so you know what you can expect to leave your account every month.
When you are still in school, it may be tempting to take out government-backed loans, however, you may want to consider private student loans instead. Not only are these great at building credit and a strong relationship with the lender, but you can also renegotiate the terms and payments if your financial situation changes. Most lenders have online loan calculators that you can use to help you visualize repayment options so you know what you can expect to leave your account every month.
Practice Your Pitch
This is known as your elevator pitch. Essentially, you need to be able to sell yourself in the span of time it would take for an elevator ride to be completed. By doing this, you are able to tell someone your skills and what makes you valuable to them in a very short amount of time, typically 30 to 45 seconds. It also helps you get over the shocked feeling many people experience if they are hit with surprise questions from potential employers. Remember when using this in real life to look the person in the eye while talking to them and don’t forget to smile.
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Credit Is King
After getting out of college, there are several things you may want to purchase or that you’ll need great credit to get. For instance, renting an apartment in the city is virtually impossible without a clean credit record. Depending on what the position you are employing for is, a potential employer may run a credit check on you. This is especially true within the financial industry or if you will have access to company finances. Lastly, you may want to buy a new (or at least newer) car so that you don’t show up to work on the first day in the beater that barely made it through your college years.
The First One Doesn’t Always Count
Remember, it’s completely normal to be not-quite-thrilled with your first job after leaving college. Think of that first job as a stepping stone towards success or the bottom rung of a ladder you’ll soon be at the top of. Just because you begin at an entry-level position does not mean you will forever be in that same position.
| About the Author – |
| Drew Allen is a financial enthusiast, seasoned blogger, music and sports fanatic. He enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and daughter fishing and boating. He is dedicated to his 15+ year career in the banking, mortgage, and personal finance industry. |