The find-a-job plan for college seniors

As spring inches closer and closer, college seniors need to start getting serious about their after-college plans. Truth be told, to really get a leg up, collegians should begin their post-college preparation during their junior year. For those students planning to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation, having a structured find-a-job plan will help them stay on track and meet their career goals.

What do college students need to consider when creating their plan? To help, we spoke with Dr. Stephen Jones, who has counseled thousands of students with their careers as the associate dean of Villanova University’s college of engineering. Here’s his advice:

-- Go to the library to do your career research.
-- Create a résumé and a cover letter.
-- Ask every person you meet for three people you should contact.
-- Search the Internet and submit résumés to job databases.
-- Go to career fairs.
-- Look in the newspaper employment section every Sunday.
-- Look for other areas where your skills can be used (hospital, bank, etc.)
-- Join an association in your profession or student leadership organization.
-- Attend a corporate meeting and network.
-- Conduct an informational interview. Schedule a meeting to discuss the kinds of jobs that occur in a specific company.
-- Send out thank-you letters to everyone who interviews you.
-- Follow up on business cards you obtain from everyone.

Sure, most college seniors would rather be hanging out with friends enjoying their last year as a student, but by dedicating some of their time to thinking about their future, they’ll be setting themselves up for post-college success.