With only a few weeks left of classes, summer awaits to fulfill the dreams of many—a long awaited break from long and studious nights, lengthy papers, and the severe lack of sleep. However, summer is not all fun and games. In the years prior to college, summer meant sleeping in and finding a part-time summer job at the request of your parents. Now, as college students, it means so much more. So, how can you make the most of your summer vacation and stay prepared for your professional future?
Find an internship.
Summer is the prime time for internships because your schedule is a lot less packed with little or no classes to worry about. If you’re an upperclassman, and heading into your junior or senior year after the summer, finding an internship becomes more important, as many graduate schools and jobs post-graduation will want to see what kind of experience you have in your field of study. Not only will this boost your resume, but you’ll learn a lot about the field, too—it might also provide some good insight into whether this is the right path for you.
Get a summer job.
Many internships go unpaid, so if you’re looking to earn some money over the summer, finding a summer job should be next on your list of things to do. This can also build your experience and your resume, so try and find places where you can practice those customer service skills—people skills are needed in almost every career.
Save money.
No matter where you are in your college career, saving money is a really important skill to build up. Make yourself a budget and try and save a good portion of the money you earn. Making a budget can help you keep track of you spending and give you an idea of where to cut back.
Build your credit score.
No, this doesn’t mean go on a shopping spree. This means learning how to use a credit card, pay it back on time, and avoid getting into debt, ultimately building your credit score. Credit scores become more and more important as you grow older, so now is as good a time as any to start building it. You can find your credit score on websites like Credit Karma for free.
Create a professional resume.
Your resume gives future employers a snapshot of you—it tells them about your education, your past experiences with jobs and internships, your skills, and more. A professional resume shows off your best self and often gives employers a first impression of what you have to offer. You can find tons of templates and instructions on how to build your professional resume on a variety of websites, from Pinterest to a simple Google search. Many Career Centers, or advisors, at colleges and universities have great resources for building a resume, so be sure to reach out to people who help build professional resumes for a living.
Build your social presence and make it professional.
College is the perfect time to sign up for a LinkedIn account, if you haven’t already. Build your circle by connecting to everyone you know and discover the strength of weak ties. Sign up for Nextio, a new professional messaging platform that not only pays you for your attention, but also can help you with career insights and learn what others in your field of study have done with their majors post-college. Nextio has a feature that even examines your compatibility with certain jobs based on your previous experiences.
