Preparing for success: ASU’s resource guide for your future career

6 minutes

 

 

Many people dread the transition from a student to a full time member of the workforce. Whether they be freshly graduated, or freshly enrolled, it is the future that lies at the end of university for most people. It can be a daunting reality filled with hardship, responsibility and a seemingly unstoppable grind. However, it can also be one of the most fulfilling, fruitful and meaningful transitions a person can make. It’s all about how one chooses to approach the situation. 

Arizona State University’s Career Services offers students a plethora of pathways into the future and an incredible amount of choices you can make today to help bolster your professional start. From invaluable resources, to amazing internship opportunities to student-led and career-focused projects; Here are a few things every student needs to take advantage of this summer break before they begin their career hunt.

 

1. Sign up for ASU Career Services

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to your professional future, ASU Career Services is the perfect platform to figure it out. Want to talk with someone face-to-face about your future career prospects? You can schedule an appointment with Career Advising & Appointments to talk with ASU staff about opportunities available to you. Looking for resources to help you create the perfect resume, tailored both for you and your field of interest? Career services has you covered with a plethora of Resume & Application Materials suited for a wide variety of positions and fields of interest. Maybe you need help in a more in depth and educationally oriented manner? Try Career Support On-Demand to access multiple in depth courses highlighting steps forward for career development. 

Unlike preparing for your future, registration is very simple, and once registered these are just a few of the options ASU Career Services has to offer, which can be found on their website here! 

 

2. Create your Resume

Now that you have the resources, it's time to start the big piece. A resume is a known essential for any job application or internship position. Much like when you were applying to ASU, the goal of your resume should be to best highlight yourself in a way that shows your competence, enthusiasm and commitment. 

Your resume will be something that changes a lot. With each new job, internship, opportunity, developed skill and completed project you should be actively updating your resume to reflect the person you are becoming and the things you can achieve. You should also be updating your resume each time you apply to something new, and tailoring your resume to the position you are applying for. 

Professionality is also a huge key when it comes to creating a resume. A resume needs to be clean, concise, and clearly understood. Leave your artistic merit in the accomplishments section of your resume, not in whacky fonts and colorful images.  

There can be a lot to remember when it comes to building out your resume, so be sure to use the ASU Career Services checklist to make sure you are keeping everything on track!

 

3. Get connected

Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed, etc… Make sure you are getting connected in any way you can! 

Careers are not stagnant things. Your career will move and change much like the rest of your life, and you will find yourself around new people, in new fields, and doing things you may not have ever envisioned for yourself. Getting connected is how you make these changes, and staying connected is how you navigate them. 

If you are a student who finds themselves face-to-face with the job market, you want to be on Handshake. Handshake allows you to find companies who are looking specifically for students, at your school, in your field. Check out more about how Handshake is providing students a unique window into the job market here and get registered for Handshake today!

Sites like LinkedIn and Indeed, and even social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, are extremely helpful for getting connected. Everyone knows how social media works, and professional social media isn’t much different, just much more professional. Create an account, add your resume and relevant information, and start networking. Don’t be afraid to comment, to reach out and connect with people in industries or jobs you're interested in. You never know who might be willing to extend a mentorship, and where that could lead you!

 

4. Research opportunities

Some of you might get lucky, and a job might wind up falling right into your lap. For most people, however, you have to do a little searching. Aforementioned sites such as LinkedIn and Handshake can be wonderful places to begin your search. These sites provide a wide array of positions, people and opportunities at the tip of a finger, creating a library of valuable information regarding the current job market. 

However, you don’t have to do it all yourself. ASU Career Services has you covered for this as well. With their job market insight calculator, you can check out current statistics about a field or position you are looking to get into. Check anything from what companies are hiring the most for a certain position, to how much that position makes, to the requirements companies are looking for when hiring. Having an understanding of the technical skills, education level, and employment trends involved with your field of interest is one of the best ways to prepare yourself and your resume. 

ASU Career Services also offers a more direct method of research, with steps guiding you through the process under Jobs and Internships. Research should be slow and steady, make sure you find a job and position that best suits what you want to and what you can do. The more you research and spend time looking for the right job, the more likely you are to find something that doesn’t feel like work. 

5. Prepare!

Make sure you are prepared! That may sound obvious, but there is a lot you can do to make sure you are best prepared for your next step forward. ASU Career Services offers hands-on options for preparing yourself, alongside their wonderful resources. If you have ever been scared to speak in public, nervous about a presentation, or anything close, you can sign up for online interview preparation with ASU staff to help get those starting jitters out of the way. 

Have your resume completed, reviewed and updated. Include all relevant information as concisely as possible, and make sure to tailor each application to the company you are applying to. Review the ASU Career Services resume checklist as well as helpful information about tailoring your resume to your field.

Connect online with companies, people, and organizations ASAP on websites such as Handshake and LinkedIn. Give yourself a head start in the networking game and use your social media savvy to find connections that can help support your career in the future. Don’t be afraid to make first contact and put yourself out there!

Lastly, breathe! The future comes like a big wave. When you're staring it down, it can look terrifying. But if you paddle out to meet it, instead of waiting for it to crash, you’ll find yourself riding it off into the horizon. Take the first steps today!