5 Career Development Tips for University Students

As a university student, your top priority is learning. Early in your University career you need to realize that you can't and shouldn't just learn in the classroom. Learn from every experience! Better yet, learn from the successes and failures of others. To do this, you have to become aware of your experiences... and actually have learning experiences.

As a student, I went to class every day, but I did little to engage myself beyond class. I didn't socialize with professors, I didn't have a student job, I wasn't involved in student organizations, and I didn't volunteer. While other students were experiencing university, I sat back and watched. A year after graduation, I was selling coupon books door-to-door in the Chicago suburbs in a shirt and tie. Not exactly the dream job I had as a little kid in a small town in Iowa. The reason I tell my UI STEP (University of Iowa) class this story on the first day is because they need to know what can happen if they just sit back and do nothing as a university student.

Here are some professional development tips for students:

1. Understand and admit your weaknesses

The only way to be Student Personal and professional development consists of first understanding what needs to be developed. Self-reflection is crucial in our lives, but especially during college years. Taking Responsibility Recognizing what you're not good at and trying to improve is just as important, if not more important, than understanding what you're good at.

College is the time to improve and grow, and you can only do that if you set goals about what skills you want to improve. If you've never completed a transferable qualification I'd encourage you to give it a go as it can really show you where you still need to develop.

2. Research, read, pay attention

Each of us has had people in our lives that we looked up to. Those of us who have been in our careers for a long time have probably had mentors and leaders that we looked up to along the way. One way to take responsibility for your own development is to emulate the people you look up to. By becoming aware of your surroundings and understanding what exactly attracted you to certain people, you can understand what skills you need to demonstrate to one day take on such a leadership position. This is only possible through reading, research and conscious learning.

Excellent job-specific skills are important, but you also need to have the intangible qualities you look for Employer search to achieve your goal. Career goals. To develop yourself, you must first identify the skills you actually want to develop.

3. Get out of your comfort zone

As a student, I knew that I was a terrible public speaker and didn't feel comfortable in large social situations as I became extremely nervous. One year I forced myself to step out of my comfort zone and attended a career fair at the University of Iowa. There were over 100 employers at this trade show and the room was extremely crowded. I achieved something just by going there, but I didn't actually do anything. That's correct; I just walked around and didn't talk to anyone.

Many of us are afraid to deviate from what we are familiar with, but you only get better with practice and experience. I challenge my students to try something new that takes them outside of their comfort zone at least once a month. The key, of course, is to actually do something and not just walk around!

When you step out of your comfort zone, you can learn a lot about yourself and develop interests you never thought possible. Who would have thought that 10 years after walking around doing nothing, I would now be teaching students in a classroom? Not me. Own your insecurities.

4. Diversify your experiences

There is no better way to own it Development than through diverse experiences during school time. Think about it. The more you get involved and the more experiences you have, the better your chances of finding out what your true passion is.

For example, I work with a lot of student employees, and many of them end up changing majors because they love what they do in their student jobs. My current boss studied biology, but she loved her student job in financial aid so much that she's been doing it for 32 years now.

I encourage all students to diversify their experiences by getting involved in student organizations, volunteering, and working while studying. At least one sees varied CV With a lot of experience, you look pretty good for an employer!

5. Stop waiting for things to happen... Make them happen!

Students who need help finding a student job come to our employment agency all the time. The first question I ask them is where they want to work. I ask this specifically because if they want to work in the library, why do they come and talk to us? Talk to someone in the library!

There's a reason why most jobs in this country are filled without advertising, and that's because they don't have to be advertised. If you develop further, the one you want Career If you want to do it and meet the people you want to meet, then do it! Take matters into your own hands and make something of it by being proactive. If you are an employer, what skills does it demonstrate to you when someone comes to you proactively and wants to learn more? Plus, as a student, you're in a learning phase and can play the student card, which will probably be easier for you than someone my age. Take your fate into your own hands and make something of it.

So many things that happen in your career and life will be out of your control. Take back that control and take responsibility for your own development. Learn from every experience - good or bad. You never know if one day all the failures you learned from as a student might lead you to the Career lead you never knew you wanted. Be a lifelong learner and you never know what you might do next.