While I was thinking what to write for the post, I tried to update my resume about the accomplishments or experience I have done so far. That is when it struck me that I should research about strengthening my profile in order to apply for my dream jobs in the near future (4 years is pretty near actually).
In a Forbes article about preparing college students for a career in business, they have reported findings from Bentley University that '58% of business decision makers, students, and job recruiters gave recent college graduates an overall grade 'C' or worse for their level of preparedness for their first full-time jobs'. It is mentioned that their lack of preparation 'harms day-to-day business operations of businesses'.
Consequently, it is recommended to students by business colleges like Broad to search for hands-on experiences or any volunteering activities in order to enhance and reflect your personal qualities on paper, be it field skills, leadership skills or philanthropy. In fact, most of them also wants students to start as early as freshman year or earlier as seen by how Broad college admissions evaluates students highly on their experiential profile.
In my opinion, even if you do not know which specific major you are going to take (even though it would be better if you do know), limit your choice to two or three, and decide by trying out the jobs related to them. You can find out through job shadowing, internships, or even some entry-level jobs. It is a win-win situation. You can find out which career path you want to take while amassing experiences that employers want.
The article also mentioned that networking with peers and faculty is another good way of increasing your opportunities after graduation. Professors are likely to know a lot of employers and could recommend you to them, increasing the chances of you getting hired with your limited profile . Additionally, school-business partnerships also creates opportunities. For example, Marathon mentioned that MSU is one of the only schools that they hire fresh graduates from.
Researching about this topic encouraged and helped me in preparing myself earlier to make myself a competitive candidate in the workforce. With regards to my fellow talented and hardworking peers, I know I must work harder and smarter to make myself stand out amongst them.
-William Tjen
Does this just pertain to business majors or other majors as well?
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