If you and your family are working extra jobs, spending your personal savings and taking out loans to cover your college costs, you do not want to get to the senior year only to find out that you didn’t do the things that your target employers want, need and expect of the candidates they will hire.

Choose A Career Direction Wisely – The most successful students select a career direction that matches up well with their areas of strong interest, natural talents, positive experiences and one that is likely to motivate them to succeed.

“There is no chance, no destiny, no fate that can

circumvent or hinder or control

the firm resolve of a determined soul.”

– Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Select A Target – Everyone does better when they have a clear target. Wise students target the jobs that fit their needs, interests and natural abilities. Jobs that fit their personal capabilities will give them the best chance for employment success.

Learn How To Search For Employment – Students should consider visiting the Career Services Office and reading articles and books such as: A Successful Senior Year Job Search Begins In The Freshman Year. The information that is gathered can be incorporated into their own job search plans. When students fail to obtain and learn this information, important steps will be missed.

Do Some Research – Students will also need to find out which employers offer positions that fit their interests and capabilities, then make a long list. The best candidates learn what those employers need, want and expect of applicants. With that information, they can develop an effective plan of action.

Create A Plan With Steps That Lead To Your Target – There are literally more than a hundred things that students can do to get prepared for their senior year job search. Savvy students do their research and develop a detailed plan for each semester of college. They know that the competition is stiff for the most desirable jobs with the best employers.

Carry Out The Plan – This is the most important step. During each semester of college, students should be performing, participating and preparing for their senior year job search. A good plan, carried out to the best of a student’s ability, is the best way to gain the attention of the employers with the best jobs.

Work Toward The Goal Each Day – As they move through college, students should do something to get prepared for their job search each and every day. They can do some research or speak with campus recruiters, employers, networking contacts, search firms and job banks, etc. This is the kind of information that successful job hunters gather and verify before they need it.

Conduct A Comprehensive Employment Search – As students enter their senior year, they should begin their search for employment. This is the time to use all of the information, tools and resources that they have developed in earlier years.

When students are confident that they have done everything possible to get prepared for their senior year job search, that confidence and preparation will show. Employers love the candidates who are prepared and have demonstrated their capabilities throughout the college years.