College is stressful in and of itself, but the fear that looms behind the thoughts over every college student is the unknowable question mark after graduation. Where are you going to work? You can make yourself well-positioned for a job after graduation, but it will take some work while you are still in school.

Learn Marketable Skills

One of the things you can do is to learn marketable skills. Some of these might be classes directly in your major, while others might not be. For example, if you’re a history teaching major, your marketable skills might be in teaching history, but if you acquired an economics minor, or took some accounting classes, you might be able to pick up an economics TA position in college, or a substitute economics teacher for high school. Take classes that go along with your major, but also decide if a minor is right for you. A minor can be another way to gain marketable skills that you can use in conjunction with your major.

Build Your Professional Network

Another thing that you can do while still in college is build your professional network. Go to conferences in your field that they offer at your institution. Take those classes on networking and sign up for those seminars. You might find that you run into a potential employer and secure a job while still in school. You can also build your professional network by learning how to use LinkedIn. Crafting a well-written LinkedIn headline makes you 40 times more likely to be contacted, so it is worth it to know how to use LinkedIn to connect to companies and potential employers.

Learn How to Write Your Resume

Many college students don’t know how to write their own resume, which can lead to a world of hurt after graduation. However, most institutions have resources available to help you craft a good resume, including help centers where other students and instructors can meet with you one-on-one and give you feedback. It will take some research, some patience, and a lot of revision, but learning to write your own resume is a valuable skill that will help you once you’ve graduated college.

College is a stressful time, but you can make your transition to life-after-college easier by working on job skills now. That way, post-graduation, you’ll be well on your way to success.

If you’re struggling to do well in your classes before you graduate, contact us to schedule some academic coaching!