How do we market ourselves as a product? The resume is a clearly important tool in helping to do this, but what can we do to improve our chances in "driving purchases," which in this case would be getting hired. I came across a great article in Businessweek about how we can better prepare for interviews and what recruiters find to be the most valuable qualities in an employee: read it!Read this article!
Networking is something that I've heard about many, many times throughout my time at MSU. It is something we all should be thinking about as we prepare to graduate. Start making those connections and solidify them by adding them to your LinkedIn accounts. Rob Irizarry emphasized this when he came and spoke to our class, as did Jeanne Callahan last week.
Another tip listed in the article which I found to be very important is to "Relentlessly Develop your Skills." I know that we are all anxious to wrap up the semester and be done with school, but it's so important to keep finding ways to improve. Someone recently gave me some advice with regard to how to do this: set a professional goal for yourself for the next year, and then determine specific ways to accomplish this. For example, if your goal is just to be promoted in one year of getting hired, determine how you mind differentiate yourself as a viable candidate for that next position. Then identify workshops, extra responsibilities, volunteer committees, etc., that might help you do that. In a recent interview I asked my interviewer what advice he would give himself if he were in my position (that is, just entering the professional workforce), and he said "be the first person to volunteer for the job that no one wants to do." I found that extremely helpful.There are many articles out there that give great advice on how to distinguish yourself as a candidate for employment or grad school. I challenge all readers to set one specific goal for professional development that extends beyond graduation. Good luck!
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