My senior year of college came fast. It crept up especially fast for me because I will be graduating college in December of 2019, and I only graduated high school in June of 2017. This is because I was a part of the Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) program in high school. What this means is that I started my freshman year of college during my junior year of high school. My situation is slightly different than most college seniors, so I had to work extra hard to ensure I was on the right track. Because I wanted to succeed, I decided to take extra steps towards being a successful entry-level professional that might be helpful for you as well.

Work Hard on Your Classes

This one is an absolute given. While I’ve heard many employers aren’t looking at GPA as much as they used to, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still work hard to apply yourself. The things you learn in class will serve as stepping stools as you enter any internship or entry-level position. In my first internship I was assigned to create a strategic social media plan, and while I was overwhelmed at first, because of my Strategic Social Media course at Winona State University I was able to navigate how to implement this plan. Long story short, work hard on your class work! 

Take on Many New Opportunities

I’m a total supporter of taking on as many new opportunities as possible. I’ve always been the type of person to seek out any opportunity that will help me succeed in the long run. With my motivation, I’ve taken on many internships and freelance positions based around digital and traditional media. My first couple internships were primarily building social media content and seeking out influencers. These internships taught me so many important tools that I have been able to carry with me in my classes and now my current internship. My current internship is based around more traditional media. Specifically, I’m working on media relations and how to build strong relationships with media. These positions have all helped me prepare for any post-graduation work I will take on. 

Look Into Google Ads

In such a digital world, it is important to understand how digital media works in this field. Over the summer, I decided to spend time getting various Google Ads certifications. There are multiple certifications you can get through this, and they are great additions to your resume! If you ever have free time and want to work to build your resume and experience, take the time to get certified!

Perfect Your Resume and Cover Letter

I am not kidding when I tell you it took an entire year to get my resume to where it was now. I have gone to so many professors for help, and implemented all of their feedback as I received it. As I entered my last semester, I then decided to take advantage of careers services on my campus. They helped me perfect both my resume and cover letter to where it is now, AND even had a mock interview with me, which was so helpful.

Research Potential Employers

It blows my mind how many of my friends will say they have an interview with a company, but when I ask what it is they don’t know anything about it. How can you have an interview with a company you’re unfamiliar with? That would be your career, and you need to do research prior to even applying to know if that organization would be the right fit for you. Not only that, but you should always be prepared to answer basic questions in an interview, such as, “Why do you want to work for us?” If you don’t know anything about the company… How can you honestly answer that?

Overall, enjoy your final year of college. This time is going to fly by and before you realize it you are going to be in the workforce. There is so much change that occurs during your last year of college, so make sure you are taking the proactive measures needed to set yourself up for a positive (and successful) life.