Entry by Pat Patterson
Now that students are back to school and somewhat settled in, it is likely that more students will start visiting their campus career services office. As career services professionals, it is important to keep on top of the best practices in the current market to help students acquire internships and jobs.
The following is a list of advice from the Intern Bridge’s blog The Intern Advocate, which will help you help your students:
Get a RSS reader account. Find blogs that dole out daily or weekly advice pertaining to job searching and career centers. Add each blog to an RSS reader, such as Google Reader, and make a point to check it at least three times per week. If your career center has social media accounts, be sure to share helpful articles with your students directly!
Read new literature available. There are countless books out there giving out advice for candidates looking for jobs. Not to mention, there are also a lot of great e-books available (some for free) that can help you brush up on your skills.
Utilize lesser known aspects of social media. People engaged in social media use networking sites to drive traffic to their blogs and sites. What you may not know is that many also answer questions and participate in groups and forums. Connect with individuals that can help you stay updated on job search strategies. Search for groups on LinkedIn with expert advice.
Listen to your students. Oftentimes, students are ahead of the curve in terms of technology. If many of them are asking about a resource or new website, check it out so you can give them your opinion on it. Although they may be more engaged on the Internet, they still look to your for advice about their future career goals.
Remember, it is never too late to continue learning!
