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Career Development Denise Alexander, BS, MA
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As a college student, summer break can be similar to when you were in high school. While you look forward to the break and enjoy your time off, you may notice that at the end of it that you could have done more to get ready for fall classes.
You should take a different approach to college because you’re getting ready to start a career. To get hired in a competitive job market, you need to stand out in comparison to the other candidates and your summer activities can help make a difference.
So while you relax, also find a way to get more experience in your chosen profession to learn more about the industry.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of summer break:
If you’re looking to become a licensed professional, such as a nurse, you can get a head start by earning more healthcare experience. You might find a part-time job that allows you to interact with patients or volunteer at a clinic. Those might be positions that you could continue into the school year.
Internships are important for both students and businesses, especially for business-focused careers such as marketing, accounting and IT. Even if it seems too late to get an “official” internship over the summer, you could work with a small firm or business a few hours a week to help them out on various tasks.
You might prefer to make some money working in retail, at a restaurant or an entertainment venue, but see if there is a way for you to also get some experience in your career/industry of choice.
Networking is an important activity for all professionals. It may not connect you with a job offer right away but networking could lead to one eventually. The goal of networking is to build business connections with other people, working professionals and find ways to benefit each other. Some of the benefits of networking include:
Before you start networking, make sure to build up your LinkedIn profile. You can connect with people you already know, such as friends and family and, eventually you can add people you meet in the industry. Look for in-person and virtual networking events in your community and among industry groups.
Staying sharp isn’t just important for athletes working out in-between seasons. Students need to maintain a high level of performance and have an edge when they look for a job.
For example, you could:
Sometimes we can get so caught up in the fast pace of life that we don’t leave time for ourselves. If you find yourself on that treadmill during the school year, use the summer to take care of yourself and relax while also figuring out how you can better incorporate those practices all year.
Whether you start an exercise program, take a fitness class, fit more enjoyable reading into your day or find a new hobby, it’s important to get your mind off school, work and other pressing duties.
If you look at summer as a time of self-growth and not just pure relaxation or a continuation of the fast-paced school year, you might find that you’ll welcome the start of full-time classes in the fall and enjoy the ride all the way through until graduation.
BLS pay estimates calculate the median annual wage for various occupations. Per the BLS the median wage for an occupation is: "The wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Median wage data are from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024. BLS median wage estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geographic market in which you want to work, and degree level and field, will affect career outcomes, including starting salary and earnings as an experienced employee. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the median salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, particular wage or salary, or other career growth.
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