Cap and gown received? Check. Transcripts and diploma ordered? Check. Textbooks sold? Check. As you finalize all the tasks you must complete before graduation, don’t forget the ones that will be the most important to your career. The Career Center provides the following tips to help students who are graduating to prepare for their future.
1. Update your Hire-A-Redbird account. This interactive job vacancy system allows students and alumni to research, identify, and apply for job and internship openings. One can also publish documents like resumes and cover letters. Be sure to update your profile with your graduation date, contact information, email preferences, and degree/major information. Those who don’t have their profile up-to-date may miss out on being contacted by employers or on information being sent from the Career Center about upcoming events, on-campus interviews, career fairs, and more.
2. Order your free business cards. The Career Center provides free business cards exclusively to current Illinois State students to assist with job searches. Get them now while you’re still a student and can get them for free.
3. Save the date for upcoming career fairs. Illinois State alumni are welcome to attend the Career Center’s fairs to look for a position or to network with professionals in their field.
4. Outline your career plan with your career advisor. Let our career advisors help you develop a concrete career plan, review your resume to help make it stand out to employers, and prepare for an interview before you start applying for jobs.
5. Take advantage of the Career Center’s online tools. These include InterviewStream, Hire-A-Redbird, and FOCUS.
6. Stay in touch with the Career Center. Bookmark the Career Center’s website and join us on Facebook so that you can continue to take advantage of our offerings, such as resume and cover letter critiques, mock interviews, graduate school workshops, and application reviews. Also, follow us on Twitter for updates on workshops as well as job postings.
7. Give back what you received. When you’re in a position to hire an employee, be sure to contact the Career Center. Let us help you find the right candidate. Whether you’re a supervisor, employer, or entrepreneur, you can always give back to Illinois State by hiring a Redbird.
Let the Career Center assist you before you graduate and in the future. Whether you’re looking for a position or seeking to fill one, the Career Center is here to help.
