Gearing Up For Your Post-grad Job Search

If you’re nearing the end of the school year, you’re probably tempted to ease your way into summer. With just a few weeks left of classes, after all, taking it easy may be just what you need after a stressful year! However, instead of downtime these coming weeks, invest in productivity—you may see that a bit of prep work for your next opportunity as you wind down for the summer can actually take you pretty far in your career.

No matter if you’re gearing up for high school graduation, about to say goodbye to college or still have some years left until you finish your education, the summer months can be a prime time to make moves for your future. Students may think that their professional career is too far off to be thinking about today but, the truth is, it’s never too early! You don’t need to know your ideal job or even the industry you want to work in, but you can still lay the steppingstones for when it’s time to bring your career to life.

Here are a few tips for productive, forward-thinking ways to spend these next few weeks:

Do some reflection

The best jobs are those whose purpose matches that of the talent that fills them. So, find your purpose! Think about the settings where you’ve felt that spark of inspiration, the times when the skills you’re in the midst of building have really come to life. And start thinking about how you can lean into those feelings in work—zero in on the skills you want to develop further and start refining the career path you may one day see yourself on, based on where your passion and purpose lie.

Hone your skills

Once you have an idea of the skills you think it would be important to develop, get to work! Sign up for online courses and attend workshops geared toward those hard and soft skills you think could facilitate your next job opportunity. Local libraries are a great resource for free classes, and you can also see if your school offers skills development opportunities.

Start making connections

While skills are an important foundation for a successful career, so are connections! Join local networking groups and attend in-person and virtual events, such as those for new grads or specific to the industry you’re looking to break into.

Gather your materials

Before you can land a job, you need to get through the application process—and if you don’t have your application materials at the ready, you could risk losing an opportunity to someone who is prepared. So, take the time now to start building or polishing your resume, pulling together a portfolio of work samples or school papers you’ve written, and lining up potential references. That way, when the right opportunity does come along, all you have to do is click “apply” and you’ll be one step closer to your dream job!