Well, the time has come and it’s finally time to graduate as a college student.  What seems like an eternity ago, four to six years actually isn’t that bad to get a better education and hopefully a better job in the near future.  Now, as thousands of students graduate college every year, there are some things that you should know before you hit the real world.

Meet with a counselor one last time

Before you graduate, make sure you still take advantage of the college’s services.  Try and set up an appointment with your counselor before you go.  Ask them what places are hiring, where you can potentially find a job and ask for any other advice they may give you.  Over the years, I’ve received a lot of great advice from my counselors.

Freshen up your resume

Now that it’s time to apply for jobs, you’re going to have to get a resume going.  This means that you’re going to have to update it with whatever you have been doing in the past 4 years.  Companies love seeing what you did in college, where you worked, even if it was at McDonalds.  A company would much rather hire someone that had work ethics rather than sit in the dorm room and play Xbox all night.

Check the job postings at your college

Every college has some of sort of career department.  Make sure that you get all the information that you need before you leave.  Get the website and make sure that you know your user name and password so that you can check upcoming jobs.  A lot of companies love graduates from particular schools.  Make sure that you look for those companies because they may only have a job opening for particular college graduates only.

Network with everyone

No matter who you met in college, make sure you keep in touch with them somehow.  Get phone numbers, addresses, facebook address or whatever it may take in order to keep in contact.  Those networks down the line may be your entry way to a new job.  Don’t take for granted that a professor will be there forever so if you meet with a great professor you like, make sure you get information from them as well for future questions or concerns.

As you leave college, you have to look toward the future.  Depending on what industry you enter will depend on how quick you may find a job.  I don’t want to sound pessimistic but you may not even find a job in your field.  Keep you head up high, network with people and if you have the skills, you should be able to find that dream job!