15 things you need to do in your last year of school

If you are in your last year of post-secondary, then this blog is for you.  Your last year of school is a very difficult one.  Not only are the classes more intense, but the assignments are plentiful all while you are still trying to enjoy your social life.  However, unlike every other year, you have the added task of trying to find a job.  Care of www.quintcareers.com, here are 15 things you should do in your last year to aid in your job search.

1. Start early. There are plenty of opportunities throughout the year to get your job search started.  Attend career fairs, set up information interviews, and even start applying for jobs.  It is never to early to think about your future, and the sooner you start, the less you will have to cram into the last few weeks of the semester.
2. Explore career paths. You need to find out exactly what kinds of jobs you want, and which you are qualified for.  Speak to an academic advisor or professor to find out different job titles and positions you might be interested in doing.  Information interviews are also a good way to get an idea of what you want to do.
3. Consider your options. Getting a job isn’t the only option available to you.  You can continue your studies, travel or even work abroad.  However, if you have decided to enter the job market, figure out what kind of company you want to work for, where you are willing to live, as well as the industry you want to work in.
4. Gain experience.  There are many ways to do this, including volunteering, getting an internship, or even working part time.  Even if you work in a unrelated field, you will still gain transferable skills.
5. Take a leadership position. Taking a leadership role in any way will look great on a resume and in turn to employers.  Maybe you were in charge of your residence’s Christmas food drive, or organized a staff party…these kinds of things count as leadership!
6. Register with your career services office.  Your school’s career service’s office is one of the most forgotten, but most important resources to you not only in your last year, but throughout your post-secondary career.  The career services department can help you revamp your resume, aid with interviewing tips, and much more.
7. Develop a job search plan. A good job search plan will map out exactly what you need to do from now until graduation.  While this does not guarantee that you will get the job of your dreams, it will make things a lot easier.
8. Hone key job search correspondence. You have plenty of time to revamp and polish your resume, cover letter and thank you letter.  Of course, you need to change each with every job your apply for, but it is good to have basic correspondence that you can alter for each application.
9. Develop a career portfolio. This is a great place to compile work, awards and certificates you are proud of.  For more information on career portfolios, see “Using a career portfolio.”
10. Prepare for and practice interviewing. It may seem silly, but in order to perfect your interviewing skills you need to practice.  Again, visit your career services office for mock interviews and tips, or even just have family and friends interview you and give you feedback.
11. Network! You can’t get away from it no matter how hard you try!  While you may think because you are in school you don’t have much of a network, but you do.  Your network includes your family, friends, friend’s families, professors, former bosses, etc, etc.
12. Attend career fairs and other career events. This is a great place to network and see what companies are hiring.  Almost every college or university has a career fair you can attend, and also larger cities usually have career and job fairs that anyone can attend.  For a list of Canadian college and university career fairs, check out www.mycareermagazine.com.
13. Use all your available job searching resources. There are so many resources out there, and the internet is a great place to start.  Post your resume on sites such as monster.ca and workopolis.ca, email or mail your resume to all the companies you would like to work for, utilize your career centre to its full potential.  The more work you put in, the better the results are going to be.
14. Organize key references. Always have your list of references ready and let them know you are including them on your resume.
15. Follow-up all leads. Follow-up after every application you send out.  Although it may be hard to do so personally, or even by phone, even a follow-up email is acceptable.  Following up shows that you are still interested in the position, and often sets your apart from other applicants.

While these job search tips seem time consuming, it will be worth it in the long run. There is nothing more stressful than finishing school without a job or even any job prospects.  Most importantly, start early.  Although it may seem like you have tons of time in front of you, time flies, and before you know it, it will be the end of the semester.