What do you mean I have to find a job after college? FRESHMAN and SOPHOMORE YEAR

It doesn’t matter if you are a first semester freshman, sophomore, junior or senior about to graduate, at some point in your life you have wondered what you’re going to do when you grow-up. Some students already have it all together. When they were five they picked their ideal college and by fifteen had their first internship. On the other side of the spectrum are the students that are convinced that if they constantly play Rock Band and have the most friends on Facebook, that graduation will never come and with that the impending doom of their first job. For those of you in the middle: searching for the right major that will lead to a job you will enjoy, there are some basic things that you can do while in college to help you along your career path.

Freshman Year: Between trying to find your classes, figuring out which campus eatery has the best lunch, and attending home football games, you’ve got a lot going on. This year you only need to take small steps toward your future career. If you are concerned about your major, come into the career center to take the DISCOVER career assessment. Make sure that you’re attending classes and taking notes, because one day you are going to have a resume and you want to be able to proudly display your GPA on it. If you have the extra time, involve yourself in organizations on campus; pick groups that interest you and slowly take on leadership opportunities when they arise.

Sophomore Year: You’ve settled in, made it through two semesters of exams and have this college thing down pat. If you’re thinking about changing your major, now’s the time to take action. You need to talk to your advisor, a career counselor in the career center and upper-level students who are in the majors that you are considering. If you feel great about your major you can start looking at possible internship, co-op and study abroad programs that will help you gain experience. If you haven’t had any leadership opportunities now is the time to go for it, within academic groups, campus organizations or volunteer activities.

Just remember the perfect job isn’t ready made. Utilize your time in school to give you the best advantage possible to find what you are looking for upon graduation.