College Placement Office: Transitioning to a Successful Career

This document, prepared by the College Placement Office, provides a comprehensive guide for college seniors transitioning to their first jobs. It addresses key issues such as time management, emphasizing the shift from a flexible college schedule to a more structured work environment. The guide highlights the importance of professionalism, contrasting the consequences of irresponsibility in college versus the workplace. It offers advice on differentiating between a job and a career, encouraging graduates to use their initial roles to explore their interests. Resume preparation is also covered, with tips on keeping the resume concise, tailoring it to each application, and highlighting relevant skills. Finally, the document provides realistic expectations about entry-level positions, encouraging graduates to consider the overall package and potential for advancement. The guide is designed to help students make informed decisions and manage expectations as they embark on their professional journeys.

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 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 management
2.professionalism on
the job
3.job versus career
4.a current and
accurate resume
5.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 after noon 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 longer 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
performing your job in a professional
manner the next day. Understanding these
time management issues and considering
them before their encounter will help in the
transition. Time management suggestions
include:
 Getting sufficient sleep
 Arriving to work early
 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 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 captain,
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:
 Keep your resume to one page
 Edit your skills for each application
 Use an easy to read font
 Spell and grammar check
 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!