2 answers
Brooke
Student
Dracut, Massachusetts
1
Question
Updated
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What is the most important thing I can do in college to stand out when searching for jobs post-grad?
Entering college in the fall and want to build a strong core to stand out after I graduate
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2 answers
Alexander Figueroa
Technical Support Manager
13
Answers
San José, Costa Rica
Updated
Alexander’s Answer
Honestly, focus on two simple things:
- Get good at communicating
This doesn’t mean being perfect, it just means practicing. Talk in class, ask questions, join a club, do presentations. The more you do it, the more confident and clear you’ll get.
How?
Speak at least once in every class each week
Join 1 club or group where you interact with people, even better if it is out of your confort zone
Practice explaining things in a simple way (like teaching a friend or a peer)
- Treat every experience like it matters (because it does)
You don’t need the “perfect” internship right away. Any job, club, or volunteer work can build useful skills.
For example, I worked as a clown and did community acting, sounds random, but it taught me how to connect with people and communicate without just using words. That ended up helping a lot in interviews.
How?
Try different things (jobs, volunteering, events)
After each experience, ask: “What did I learn from this?”
Keep track of your skills (teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, etc.)
You don’t need to have everything figured out. Just keep building communication skills and learning from whatever you do. That’s what really makes you stand out
Keep track of your skills
Get good at communicating
- Get good at communicating
This doesn’t mean being perfect, it just means practicing. Talk in class, ask questions, join a club, do presentations. The more you do it, the more confident and clear you’ll get.
How?
Speak at least once in every class each week
Join 1 club or group where you interact with people, even better if it is out of your confort zone
Practice explaining things in a simple way (like teaching a friend or a peer)
- Treat every experience like it matters (because it does)
You don’t need the “perfect” internship right away. Any job, club, or volunteer work can build useful skills.
For example, I worked as a clown and did community acting, sounds random, but it taught me how to connect with people and communicate without just using words. That ended up helping a lot in interviews.
How?
Try different things (jobs, volunteering, events)
After each experience, ask: “What did I learn from this?”
Keep track of your skills (teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, etc.)
You don’t need to have everything figured out. Just keep building communication skills and learning from whatever you do. That’s what really makes you stand out
Alexander recommends the following next steps:
Thanks for the help.
Lazarus chimezie
C Venkat
37
Answers
Tampa, Florida
Updated
C’s Answer
Hi Brooke,
It's great that you are thinking ahead even before entering college!
Employers want to see well-rounded individuals. Which means that they want you tp have both technical skills needed for the job as well as people skills - communication, how you carry yourself etc. For recent graduates, they may also be interested in the following:
1. Your overall performance (grades) in college. For most students, transitioning into college is a big change, so it may take a semester or 2 for you to settle down. This is understandable. Be sure to focus on your grades as well & showing an upward trend from freshman to senior year would be good.
2. What you do outside classes - do you volunteer, are you in any clubs & if so, do you have leadership positions? More importantly, what impact did you have in the college over the 4 years?
3. Any internships or jobs you held (these could be during summers or breaks) - it would be favorable if any of these are related to the career you want to go into.
4. Do you have any special skills/talent/interests that make you unique? E.g. Do you play any instruments, sports, did you study abroad, volunteer, teach/coach others? Be sure to highlight what you are passionate about to prospective employers,
Keep track of your activities, your successes and even your failures or when things don't go as you expect. It's important to note how you reacted to these events. These experiences will shape you and build your character. Take things in your stride and don't let the small things bother you.
College is also a time to explore your interests. This means that you don't have to stick to the same activities that you did in high school. You can try new ones & if you don't like it, you have the option to try something else that you did not have access to previously.
Many students make lifelong friends in college, so take the time to meet others and interact with them in meaningful ways - this can be through your classes, clubs, volunteering or any other activity.
Be genuine in what you do and how you treat others. This is the start of the rest of your life, so how you act matters.
You don't have to do something just because everyone else if doing it. Set your own path based on what interests you & you will surely be successful!
Good luck!
It's great that you are thinking ahead even before entering college!
Employers want to see well-rounded individuals. Which means that they want you tp have both technical skills needed for the job as well as people skills - communication, how you carry yourself etc. For recent graduates, they may also be interested in the following:
1. Your overall performance (grades) in college. For most students, transitioning into college is a big change, so it may take a semester or 2 for you to settle down. This is understandable. Be sure to focus on your grades as well & showing an upward trend from freshman to senior year would be good.
2. What you do outside classes - do you volunteer, are you in any clubs & if so, do you have leadership positions? More importantly, what impact did you have in the college over the 4 years?
3. Any internships or jobs you held (these could be during summers or breaks) - it would be favorable if any of these are related to the career you want to go into.
4. Do you have any special skills/talent/interests that make you unique? E.g. Do you play any instruments, sports, did you study abroad, volunteer, teach/coach others? Be sure to highlight what you are passionate about to prospective employers,
Keep track of your activities, your successes and even your failures or when things don't go as you expect. It's important to note how you reacted to these events. These experiences will shape you and build your character. Take things in your stride and don't let the small things bother you.
College is also a time to explore your interests. This means that you don't have to stick to the same activities that you did in high school. You can try new ones & if you don't like it, you have the option to try something else that you did not have access to previously.
Many students make lifelong friends in college, so take the time to meet others and interact with them in meaningful ways - this can be through your classes, clubs, volunteering or any other activity.
Be genuine in what you do and how you treat others. This is the start of the rest of your life, so how you act matters.
You don't have to do something just because everyone else if doing it. Set your own path based on what interests you & you will surely be successful!
Good luck!