@State Mar 2018- Boost your Career-Readiness with These Tips

To Be Career-Ready, Use These Tips

by La Monica Everett-Haynes

John Drinkard

Future Forward February is a month of events dedicated to helping SDSU students become even more career-ready. As we are winding down the month, SDSU senior John Drinkard, who held a position at Career Services, shares tips on ways students can boost their career readiness.

I can vividly remember my first day as a college freshman. Feelings of excitement and nervousness ran through me as I sat in freshman orientation, overshadowed by the swelling optimism emanating from the faces of my future classmates in the crowd. It wasn't all that much different from the experience of any of the millions of other college freshman around the country, but to me, it was special. It was the first step along a path that had taken me quite some time to arrive at, something I had dreamed about since high school.

Three years later, that dream of earning a degree is very close to becoming reality. Two more semesters are all that's left between now and then. While I'm excited, a question has been on my mind, a question that every college student must eventually face: What comes next?

Last semester, I had the opportunity to work as a student veteran assistant at SDSU's Career Services. My job was to assist the counselors to provide the military-affiliated students on campus with the career-planning resources available at Career Services.

If you've never visited Career Services, I highly recommend making it a priority. The center is a surprisingly large facility staffed by professionals who truly care and want to make a positive difference in the lives of all students. Free workshops, interview preparation, resume assistance, career fairs, employer panels and many other great resources are offered there. If you don't know what you want to do, or maybe you do know, but have no idea how to make it happen, Career Services can help.

It was there that I first began to understand all of the steps that go into the process of planning for life after college. Sure, it was a bit embarrassing at first to admit that I didn't have it all planned out and fully under control, but the reality is that nobody does. Through my work with Career Services, I was able to narrow down my focus, research potential employers, and eventually make contacts that may help in the future.

For example:

  • Clear Communication: It wasn't always easy. I had to learn how to communicate more effectively, and how to accurately assess my goals. It was a learning experience, and I'm better off for it.
  • Grow Your Network: There is so much more to the process than simply writing a resume and then applying for a job. Networking is essential. Nearly half of all available positions are filled through internal hiring, so making connections with people who will recommend you (or at least remember you) is crucial.
  • Clearly Define Your Career Goals: I needed to clarify my career goals. Unlike when I chose my major, I had put little thought or research into what areas or specific companies I was interested in. If you can't decide what direction to take, Career Services offers several evaluation tools that can help you make a decision.
  • Career Prep is a Diverse Process: Finally, I learned that the task of career preparation doesn't end when you get that first post-collegiate job. Resumes, CVs, and even LinkedIn accounts are all living documents and resources that should be continually updated throughout a career.

Another thing that I discovered while working at Career Services is that people are proud of their accomplishments. Whether they were taking the first steps towards crafting a winning resume or simply writing a cover letter for an internship application, the students who go there are rightfully proud of the hard work they have put in towards realizing their goals. Sharing these accomplishments with a stranger is an act of courage; it can be difficult allowing someone to critique something in which you have invested significant amounts of time and energy.

I'm proud of the students I observed at the center. I'm proud of my own accomplishments as well. We should be. It's not easy to realize a dream, but it wouldn't be nearly as rewarding if it were.

John Drinkard is a SDSU senior majoring in mechanical engineering. Prior to attending SDSU, he served for eight years in the United States Navy submarine force as a nuclear machinist's mate. During this tour he was assigned to duty stations in Charleston, South Carolina and San Diego. Originally from Tuscaloosa, Ala., John spent most of his early childhood living in Germany and Greece due to his father's Air Force career. These early experiences inspired a life-long love of travel in him. Drinkard plans to work in energy conservation and project management after graduation. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking, travelling and making friends with random stranger's dogs.