Do it now!

Here is a terrific article titled “8 things college seniors can do now to prep for the job search later.” I would argue that students at any point in their academic career can benefit from devoting time to these steps.

http://www.schools.com/articles/college-seniors-job-search.html

An overview of the 8 things you can do:

1.  Clean up your tweets, your Facebook postings, anything in cyberspace. Don’t let a single rude tweet or skanky photo tank your career.

2.  Hang out at career services. Even if you’re not sure what you want them to do for you, go in and tell them that!

3.  Tweak your resume. Find ways to make yours stand out without breaking decorum and sounding goofy.

4.  Spell names correctly on your resume and cover letter. One typo can send your materials to the trash bin.

5.  Ask for letters of recommendation now from the people you want to write for you. Get onto your recommender’s radar.

6.  Network. Go to events, do informational interviews, ask friends, former employers, club members. Return the favor—pass your friends’ information along.

7.  Intern. You may have to scout out your own ideal opportunity. Start now thinking about what your ideal internship would be.

8. Start an online portfolio of writing, resume, references, video clips, etc. Offering an online portfolio can help you avoid cluttering up your resume while still displaying your best stuff.