fromcampustocareer——yourpreptionandplaning

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　　Formanycollegeseniors,Januaryoftensignifiesthestartofthejobhuntingseason.Orratherthestartoftheanxietyrelatedtohavingtothinkaboutwhattheycandowiththatdegreeormajor.Manycollegeseniors(anddon'tworryplentyofstudentswhowillcompletegraduateprograms)havenoideaofwhatcareersareavailabletothem.Thecurrentjobmarketconditionsdonothelp.AccordingtothelatestNACEemploymentsurvey,only36%oftheclassof2010graduatesthatappliedforjobsbeforegraduationhadanofferbygraduation.Fortheclassof2007,thisnumberwas50%.

　　Withthisjoblessrecovery,itmightbeverytemptingtoavoidthinkingaboutcareersbygoingtograduateschool.Bewarethough,asagraduatedegreeisinfactaspecialization.Assuch,agraduatedegreewillindeedopendoorstomorespecializedroles,whilesimultaneouslyclosinganumberofotherprofessionaldoors.Furthermore,thecostofgraduateschoolloanswillfurthershrinkyourprofessionaloptionspost-graduation.Indeed,themoreloanobligationsyouhave,themoremoneyyouwillhavetomaketopaythemback,andthelessjoboptionsyouwillhave.

　　Sowhatcan2011graduatingstudentsdotobuildtheirownbridgefromcampustocareer?First,rememberthatpeoplegethiredeveryday.Second,knowthatresponsiblecareeroptionsaregrowing,whichmeansthattherearemoreoptionsnowtoalignyourvaluesandyourpaycheckthaneverbefore!Overthenext5years,10milliongreenjobsareprojectedtobecreatedglobally(includinganestimated5milliongreenjobsintheUS).Fueledbyresponsibleconsumerdemand,thenumberofcareeropportunitiesinresponsiblebusinessesacrossindustriesisalsogrowing.Sowhatcanyoudotosecureajobthatwillenableyoutogetbusinessdonebetter?

　　First,knowwhatyouliketodo,fornow-Thehardestpartbyfarinyourcareerandjobsearchistobeabletoarticulateclearlyandsuccinctlywhatyouwouldliketodoprofessionally.Learnmoreaboutthenumberofgrowingcareersinresponsiblemarketing,responsiblefinance,ethicaloperations,andtransparentcommunications.Getcuriousaboutthevarietyofresponsiblecareeroptionsavailableineducation,healthcare,sustainablefoodandagriculture,andrenewableenergy.Themoreyoureadjobdescriptions,themoreyouwillgetafeelforwhatmakesyoutickandwhatwouldbeagoodfitforyou.AccordingtostatisticsfromtheUSDepartmentofLabor,emergingprofessionalsarelikelytohaveanaverageof10-14careersbytheageof38.Therefore,goandpicksomethingthatyoulikefornow,itislikelynottobealong-termcommitmentanyway.Furthermore,throughthisfirstexperience,youwilllearnwhatyoulikeanddon'tliketodo,whichwillinturninformyournextcareermove.

　　Second,don'tgoatitalone-Makeanappointmentwithyourcareercenterstaff,attendworkshops,ortakethetimetoexplorethevaluable(andoftenfree)resourcesavailabletoyouonlineandthroughyourlibrary.Youmightbeshockedtolearnthatyouarenotthefirstgraduatingstudentfreakingoutaboutwhattodonextinatougheconomy.Manyofthosewhohavebeeninasimilarsituationhavepaiditforward,providinggreatresourcestosupportfuturestudentsthathavetolaunchcareersinatougheconomy.Leveragetheseresourcestogofromanxietytoconfidenceasyouturnyourvaluesintoacareerthatisbothfinanciallyand