There was a time when have a post secondary education not only qualified you for a job but practically guaranteed one. This was around the same time that few people pursued a post secondary education (supply and demand people!). For better or for worse this is no longer the case. Todays graduates need to be much more qualified if they want to land those dream jobs after school.

1) Join a club, yes thats right! You’ll want to try and join a club that focuses on what your going to pursue after college. So if you plan on becoming a programmer for NASA, the artificial intelligence club can be pretty helpful.

Okay, I lied. Only half of step 1 was joining the club. Next you need to get involved. Plan events, work on side projects help manage the club. Do whatever it takes, not only does Club President look good on a resume but it shows you can manage projects and people.

2) Network, simple list ain’t it? By building connections while in school you will be able to project yourself to the real world far more easily afterwards. Don’t just shake hands with somebody you meet, converse with them, find common interests. Get their phone number and/or email, you can use this to stay in touch with them. The more often you two talk the more likely your name will be at the top of the list when a job opening comes.

Also network with your peers. They may not only have connections that can help you out now, but they will be at a very different place in 5 years. You never know where people might end up.

3) Start a business. While starting a business in general can look good on a resume, it looks even better when its related to the field you want to work in. Imagine your hiring for a position in a software company and there are 2 applicants. The first one has good grades and has the typical resume. Where as the second one started his own software company on the side and then managed to sell it to another firm. The second student is the likely choice, their resume shows they have drive, smarts and business sense to make it.

And who knows maybe after starting your own business you will realize that you don’t even need a job after your last exams.

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