When should you begin thinking about your post college career

Life post college

Remember that feeling you had after graduating from high school? In a few months you will be on your way to college, meeting new people and living in a different place. For many people it also means living away from home for the first time in their lives. Life post college feels like that but it can be very uncertain if you do not have it planned out. So, what are some ways to ensure that does not happen.

Do an internship during college

There are many purposes to doing internships. Whether it is getting work experience, making good use of time during summer break, or just getting out of your comfort zone, internships can also prove that you can work. Performing well and showing that you “vibe” with the company culture can actually land you a job, post graduation. There are so many reasons why college students around the world push themselves to find internships as early as the end of sophomore year. Here’s why.

• Future employment opportunities: Internships have been common and ongoing for quite some time now. Large companies offer internships yearly. However, for the past few years startups have heavily emphasized hiring interns as a way to increase the productivity level of their human resources department while also creating brand awareness. Co-ops are a thing now, which means that you can actually do an internship during the school year and you will get credits for it. Need help finding an internship? AIP offers internships year round and will help you find your dream internship. All in all, doing an internship during your college years will definitely lay out a strong foundation for your future career.
• Put your skills to a test: A degree doesn't mean anything until you put it into action. Degrees also determine your passion and what you want to do in life. Believe it or not, you can only find out what you truly want to do through actual work experience. An internship will allow you to apply what you have learned into real life situations, and that is extremely crucial towards professional growth.

• Meet your role models: During the course of your internship, you will meet a lot of work colleagues, whether they’re fellow interns or supervisors. Exposure to different types of people in an office setting is very beneficial towards your work experience because it diversifies your perspective in how to approach the task at hand. You’ll be shadowing what your supervisors are doing. This will give you a very “hands on” experience.
• Add on to your resume: Your resume is a ticket to success. The more work experience you have, the better the resume will be. A lot of students and recent graduates do not have much on their resume as they are under the impression that earning a good grade is enough to get them a decent job after graduation. While doing well in school is an important factor in future employment, knowing how to do the job properly is way more important and advantageous. The difference between someone with good grades and an individual with work experience is their performance level. When it comes crunch time, the person with work experience will get better results because they understand how the business and how the company operates. Furthermore, they can delegate work, collaborate with team members, and also take responsibility for the task(s) assigned.
• Grow your network: Networking is extremely essential. It doesn’t matter if you’re there to make connections, eat free food, or walk around in professional attire. Internships will give you multiple opportunities to attend networking events, so learn to socialize properly! Networking does not mean going to a rented out room filled with people. You can network with colleagues as well. This is your chance to really amplify your own professional branding.

College and the post-graduate life

The purpose of college is to prepare you for the real world. Anyone who has been through college and is currently working knows that is not remotely true. In today’s world, the topic on “going to college guarantees success” is always up for debate. That, however, is a different topic entirely.

A survey on college seniors has proven that only 40% of recent college grads believe that they are ready for work and the real world. Not going to lie, it would be so much more comforting if at least 85% of college graduates believe they can thrive in the real world. So, in what ways can colleges prepare their students for life post graduation in a very competitive job market?

Have you ever heard of the term, “high impact practices”? High impact practices consist of three principle terms; in-depth academic inquiry, collaborative learning, and experiential education. Lecture based learning only goes so far and memorizing terms, or theories, for your final at the end of the semester will not help progress your professional career.

On the other hand, high impact practices will allow students to learn the core values of teamwork while developing leadership skills. Most importantly, they will need to apply what they have learned in class to real life situations. Examples of high impact practices are service learning, capstone projects, hands-on research, studying abroad, or internships.

Adjustments are necessary. You’re entering a new chapter of your life, it is normal. Whether you’re doing an internship, capstone projects, or hands-on research being adaptable will help you go a long way. Unpredictable circumstances will arise multiple times and the way that you handle them will prove the kind of person that you are. In college, everything is planned out and there is a fixed schedule, or agenda, to follow. That is not always the case in the post grad life.

Apply for an internship with AIP!

We specialize in finding internships tailored to your wants and needs. Internships are considered experiential learning opportunities and they will definitely help you plan out life post graduation. Apply for an internship with AIP and let us help you map your future.