Career Transition: College Placement Office's Helpful Guide

This document, prepared by a college placement office, offers crucial guidance to graduating seniors as they transition from college to the professional world. It addresses key areas of concern, including time management, emphasizing the shift from flexible college schedules to the structured demands of a full-time job. The document differentiates between a job and a career, encouraging graduates to view their initial employment as a stepping stone to their ultimate career goals. It underscores the importance of professionalism, highlighting the need for dependability and teamwork in the workplace. Furthermore, the guide provides detailed advice on crafting a current and accurate resume, offering specific tips for showcasing skills and qualifications effectively. Finally, it provides realistic expectations for entry-level jobs, encouraging graduates to consider the broader opportunities for growth and advancement. The college placement office is available to help students with all the information provided.

Transitioning from College to Career
Courtesy of the College Placement Office
Most seniors, although excited about graduation, are seriously concerned about finding and starting
that first post-college job. The reality of leaving the collegiate environment and the role of student to
enter the business world and becoming a productive employee can be stressful. There are several issues
that are key to making a successful transition:
1. Time ManagementJob versus Career
2. Professionalism on the Job
3. A Current and Accurate Resume
4. Recognize that Grads get Entry Level Jobs
Understanding these key issues and trying to face them before leaving college will make your post-
college expectations more realistic.
Time Management
The scheduling of classes afternoon or only in the evening might not have prepared you for the eight
to five (or later) hours of the business world. You can’t hit the snooze on your alarm and show up to
work forty-five minutes late. Additionally, the long weekends and college breaks don’t exist in most
work environments. Vacation is accumulated and not a given for every holiday or snow day that
occurs. In addition to your long hours at work, you will have to manage a social life. The days of
staying up till three in the morning won’t work when you have to be at work by eight. If you are
employed and several of your friends are still in college you might have to learn to say no to events

that could be considered unprofessional or prevent you from professionally performing your job the
next day. Understanding these time management issues and considering them before their encounter
will help in the transition. Time management suggestions include:
o Getting sufficient sleep
o Arriving to work early
o Avoid taking unnecessary time off
Job versus Career
Your first job might not be the dream job that you envisioned obtaining after four long years of
college. Many first-year grads will change their job in the first two years. What is important is that you
use this first job to figure out what you really want to do. Some degrees are more flexible allowing a
wider range of possible career paths. Others, like engineering, are very specific. Look for a position
that you feel will match your academic and personal skills.
Professionalism on the Job
In college a certain amount of irresponsibility is the right of passage. The result might be a lecture
from a professor or a bad grade. In the business world irresponsibility often results in being fired. You
need to be dependable and a self-starter to succeed in most careers. As a team member, you need to
be able to be relied upon to contribute, meet deadlines, and accurately assess the contributions of
other team members. In most business environments missing a deadline is unacceptable.
A Current and Accurate Resume
Looking for a job can be a full-time job in itself. All resources need to be used and all leads followed.
A resume for a current graduate should not be more than one page. Often the student tries to
oversell his/her qualifications and leave the employer unimpressed. Your skills listed in your resume
should be edited for each job that you are applying for and should indicate how this skill will
contribute to the employer’s benefit. Stating that you were captain of the debate team is simply not
enough to impress a future employer. Stating that the skills obtained as captains, such as organizing
practices, selecting debate issues, and being a liaison between the faculty advisor, college
administration, and other collegiate debate captains, says a lot more. Remember these five resume
tips:
o Keep your resume to one page
o Edit your skills for each application
o Use an easy to read font

o Spell and grammar check
o Make sure that your address and phone number are accurate
Recognize that Grads get Entry Level Jobs
Be realistic in your job expectations. In a bad economy, many jobs for college graduates are entry
level and require long hours, lower than expected pay, and hard work. Don’t walk away from a job
offer because one part of the job description does not appeal to you. Consider the entire package and
the potential to move beyond this entry level position.
Let the College Placement Office Help You!