As my time at Indiana University and The Walter Center comes to an end, I can’t help but feel a little sad. It’s the end of an era for me. But over my 3 years at IU, and in my 2 years as an Undergraduate Peer Coach, I’ve learned a lot about the career search that I want to share with you.
1. Be yourself. It’s tempting to change your personality during an interview to make yourself appear to be a better “fit.” But let me tell you, it’s not helpful for you or for the company. While it’s important to maintain a level of professionalism in the interview and at the workplace, you don’t want to spend 40 hours a week being someone you’re not. For example, in an interview with The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, I talked about how my favorite exhibit was the Barbie exhibit they had when I was in the 7th grade. I later found out that the head of the department I interned for was a huge Barbie exhibit fan.
2. Don’t stress yourself out. Classes, homework, student organizations, career events, internship applications, etc. It’s a lot. Take it one step at a time. You’re not going to get that internship overnight, nor are you going to be at your best for an interview if you’ve put too much on your plate. You only have so much time in a day, so make sure you’re leaving time to relax and to be happy.
3. Start searching early. My biggest regret was not utilizing career services my freshman year of college because I didn’t feel as though I was qualified enough to land an internship. Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t. But go ahead and apply for internships anyway – the worst they can do is say no. The same goes for full-time positions. The worst a company can do is tell you no, so why not apply anyways?
4. But it’s never too late to start. Will starting later come with challenges? Of course. But It’s better to start later than to never have started at all.
5. You can have the major you want, and the career you want too. I’m sure you’ve heard it before (probably from some of my blogs), but I truly believe in the power of the liberal arts degree. You should be majoring in something you enjoy, but that doesn’t mean it has to be directly connected to the job you want. If you want to major in History, but pursue a career in Technology…do it. If you want to major in Psychology, but want to pursue a career in Advertising…do it. The only thing standing in your way is you. The Walter Center (and IUB) offer plenty of resources to help you utilize your major, whatever it is, to pursue your career dreams.
It’s one thing to read my advice, but it’s another thing to take it. Explore the Walter Center website (and all our services). Attend events, take a career course, meet with Career Coaches, and explore career outcomes.
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By Kaitlynn Cull
Filed under: Careers
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