Navigating Life as a Cardinal: Preparing for Life after College

You’re almost there! Getting ready for that final stretch of school can look just about a million different ways, but keeping in mind some of these tips and tricks will keep you organized and confident in heading into the “real world”!

Creating a solid resume is a great start in being able to outline what you’re doing while you are in school and what you have accomplished so far. You can begin the process of

creating a resume at any point in your college career but the earlier the better so you can

perfect it as much as you can. Some of the most important aspects of creating a solid resume is appropriate formatting, length, and conciseness. By keeping these things in mind while creating or editing your resume will be what makes you stand out to recruiters. In terms of formatting, this can mean using the same font throughout the page, clear spacing, and in most cases avoiding color or graphics. A great tool to use for suggested edits in your resume is VMock which allows you to upload your resume and it will be run through an AI powered software which gives fast critiques and suggested changes. These changes are similar to those given by recruiters which

can help make your resume stand out and show what kind of student you are!

Link: VMock Dashboard!

Networking:

Networking can take place in a variety of different ways and platforms. From professors, advisors, and alumni you have a huge pool of people who would love to get to know you and for you to ask questions to. Some different ways you can start building your network include in class, at extracurricular activities or events, and through LinkedIn. Going to a professors’ office hours and asking questions in class allows for that professor to see that you care about their class and are eager to learn from them. Growing connections in the classroom is a great start in getting more comfortable speaking to new people and getting to know people who have a similar career path since they’re in your classes. Another resource you can use is the Cardinals Connect resource within the Cardinal Career Link. This resource allows for you to be able to connect yourself with alumni and can match your LinkedIn profile with alumni who are willing to help you succeed! These connections are willing to mentor you so take advantage of it! LinkedIn is a huge resource in order to connect yourself with people you know from things like classes, professors, and friends who can expand your network. Some great tips in making your profile stand out from others includes adding a good profile and background picture, writing a good

summary, and adding your skills and interests for connections to see!

Career Fair:

Going to the Cardinal Career fair or any career fair is a great start in getting used to talking to recruiters and asking questions about what you’re looking for in a future career. It is super important to keep in mind wearing professional attire, maintaining good eye contact, and having your “elevator pitch”. An elevator pitch is a quick way of introducing yourself, your major, hometown, or any other little facts about you before starting a conversation with someone at a professional event. Even if this is a super quick introduction like “Hello! My name is Emily, I am an Economics major, and I’m from Indianapolis” is a great start in getting acquainted with how to network. Other tips for a career fair include researching companies you are interested in and learning a bit about them so you can ask a meaningful question that shows you are interested in

their business.

Applying for Jobs or Internship:

Although the thought of starting the process of applying for a job or internship can be daunting at first, as long as you stay organized it is very manageable! The first step to staying organized throughout this process is creating a spreadsheet organizing what jobs/ internships you have applied for, the date, and whether or not you have heard results from your application. In terms of what you should apply for, keep in mind what majors they are looking for, experience level, and industry. By keeping these things in mind means that you are ensuring that you are applying for roles that interest you first and foremost but also fit in with your experiences and knowledge!

Overall, this process takes time, don’t get discouraged and know that everything is a new experience whether it ends up in your favor or not, you got this!