Is Socializing Important in College?

We have all heard the saying, "It is not what you know but rather who you know". This of course is not to say that earning a degree is not important. In fact numerous studies have shown that college graduates make double the amount earned by a non-graduate throughout their lifetime. So please do continue to earn your degrees.

Degrees aren’t enough. Most college students have a hard time finding employment after college despite the fact that they may have a 4.0 and have taken honors classes. Why is that? Networking! Networking is gaining connections through socializing. College students have a great opportunity to network through internships, professors, academic advisors, etc. The key to networking is maintaining the connection. No one is saying to become best friends with your connections but you must touch base every once in a while. I normally email past professors once a semester with an update on how my degree is progressing and I ask them how their semester is going.

Connections are great to have. George Bush graduated from Harvard with a C average but, what made everything work for him was the connections he made while in school. Again I say try your very best in school because your connections can get you the interview but your grades and excellent interviewing skills can be the thing to get you the job. Balance socializing with the right people and maintaining your studies is the key to success. Do not be afraid to join the honors societies, Greek life, student government, sports teams and other extracurricular activities because you never know who may be able to help you in your travels. Just remember to pay your information forward.

By: Lillian Collazo
SD11 Winter 2016

Comments

DEI & The Workplace

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), is a broad term that covers the issues of equality in the United States. It existed throughout the years, trying to advocate for equality amongst individuals regardless of their race, sex, or religion. Thi helps foster respect and equality in every sector of the society, ensuring that as long as a person is a citizen of the United States, they are allowed to receive the same benefits as others. In the workplace, DEI is very essential as it ensures that people are hired based on the fact that they meet the qualifications of the position they applied for, and not discriminated against by not qualifying them for unknown reasons even if they reach all other qualifications. Below are a few important reasons for DEI in the workplace: 1. The Workplace Should Reflect Today’s Emerging Workforce: Social change has historically often led to backlash, but that isn’t necessarily a good reason to retreat or pivot away from one’s DEI mandate. Today’s emerg...

To Wear or Not To Wear?: Tips on dressing for success

So, the first step is over. You finished filling out the application for the job; listing all of your work experience, answering numerous questions about your work ethic on an online questionnaire, and you even polished up your hand dandy resume! After restless nights of worrying, you finally get a call saying they would love to have you come in for an interview: now what? First, don't panic ! Finding an appropriate outfit can be intimidating, but with the help of Google it is possible. Second, the outfit you should wear is based on what type of position you are going for or what your potential company is. If it's a store like Macy's, for example, it would make sense for you to wear all black since that's the kind of uniform the employees wear. If you're working in an office setting, then you should go either business casual or professional. When in doubt of what to wear, go with business casual! Here are a few images of what business casual and professional ou...

Career Roadmap

A career roadmap is a strategic plan and long-term approach to career planning that provides an outline for an individual's career goals, steps needed to achieve them, and ways to manage your achievement. Creating a career roadmap has a lot of benefits, as it shows an outline that helps you navigate your professional journey, including the necessary skills, experiences and milestones to progress. Below are a few benefits of creating a career map, both to the individual and to an organization. For individuals: 1. Clarity and Direction: A career roadmap provides a clear path forward, outlining your aspirations and the steps needed to achieve them. 2. Goal Setting and Motivation: It helps you set concrete, measurable goals, keeping you motivated and focused on your professional development. 3. Skill Development: By identifying skills and competencies needed for desired roles, it helps you focus your learning and development efforts, enhancing your marketability. 4...

Search This Blog