Career advice for college grads: Five tips for career readiness

Congratulations, graduates! Now the hard work of getting into the working world begins. Though there are many different areas to focus on, there is a simple prescription for a successful and smooth entry into the workforce, and it starts here:

1. The all-important resume. Resumes should tell a story about who you are and what your skills and talents are. Clearly, a 21-year old is not going to have the same resume as a seasoned veteran, but employers know this, so don’t worry about impressive credentials. Just do the best you can with your experience so far and find things that highlight your strengths and applicable skills.

2. What to put on your resume. Any kind of job, internship, volunteer work, or affiliation needs to go on your resume. The most important thing about “starter” jobs is to show that you were given responsibility -- If you were a lifeguard, put it on (that’s a position of great responsibility). If you worked in an ice-cream shop, put it on. Did your manager give you tasks that reflected a level of responsibility, like locking up at night, opening in the morning, making deposits, running the register? Also highlight those jobs or activities in which you were part of a team and helped lead it or had responsibility of some sort: Did you hold any leadership positions in clubs or sports team? Did you help with fundraisers or special events? Did you do volunteer work? Whatever you did or were involved in that reflects leadership and responsibility should go on your resume.

3. What the resume should look like. Don’t get fancy. Resumes should be simple, easily readable, and written in a standard format. Google "how to write a resume" to get a sense of what is standard. Don’t go over one page (unless you have had  a lot of jobs) and don’t use fancy fonts or colored paper. Pink paper and unreadable type are annoying to an employer. You want to stand out because of who you are, not because your resume is kitschy. And always, always, always spell check. Nothing sinks a candidate quicker than misspelling liaison.

4. Use your college. Your college wants you to be a successful alum, so use their career center. Many colleges offer career counseling, job fairs, and internship programs. Some will set up real or practice interviews for you and help you with your resume. Many offer personality and skills tests that can help you focus on your career choices.

And use your school's alumni network! Most alums registered with the career center are more than willing to help new graduates. Usually, they are broken out by profession and can be counted on to provide information about a certain field, advice on getting into it, and will review your resume. They may also off internships, informational interviews, and invaluable contacts in your field. Don’t be shy—this is networking, and it is one of the best ways to get a job. Use your friends and professors, too. Does someone have a parent, sibling, or associate in your field? Again, don’t be shy. This is what networking is all about.

5. Think before you take the summer off. While it may be true that this is your last summer of “freedom,” you need to remember that there are millions of other graduates who are getting out of the gate and into the market. Look at the hiring cycle of your desired profession or industry. If you want to enter one that actively seeks college graduates, then taking the summer off is not a good idea. In other professions, entry-level jobs open up all the time, so taking one last summer off may not be a big deal. But remember: this is not the same economy as five years ago; jobs are scarce and the market is tough.