Landing The Job: Wait Until Graduation Or Seek An Internship?


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Of course, there are likely thousands of ways to land a job. One can utilize the connections that have been developed over time through academic institutions, land an unpaid or paid internship or even a teaching assistant position. Regardless of how it is acquired, a landing the job begins well before the first day in the field. 

Waiting Until Graduation

For many students, once they have entered the final year of schooling, it is incredibly challenging to hold down a part or full-time job and maintain a certain GPA. Therefore, many choose to decrease the number of hours worked or quit working altogether in the hopes that waiting until they have graduated will result in a position that enables them to utilize their degree or diploma. This option has two outcomes. The first outcome, with a strongly focused student, means more and better focus which can lead to higher grades. And yes, some employers will request a copy of transcripts, however it does not mean that if you have a B or a 72, you will not get the job. All it means, is that the employer may want to confirm attendance in the applicable courses has occurred. The second outcome is that by decreasing the amount of time spent maintaining a position could indicate to employers the lack of ability to multi-task. Again, it looks just as good on a resume to have all A’s as it does to show that you maintained a decent average while juggling multiple life situations. Therefore, waiting until graduation is not always the best option to begin the job search. 

Seek an Internship

Internships are a dime a dozen. There are always more applicants than there are positions. This type of scenario is where having the higher grades can be beneficial, however many employers also utilize their cohorts at the assigned academic environment on the opinions of the applicants. Meaning, if there are a great deal of people applying for the internship, they will seek academic advisement on whom may be a good fit for the company. Having a pre-existing relationship with the advisor can help landing the job or internship when one becomes available. In addition, the internship can be the best step towards entering the employment field. 

Today, like internships there are many more applicants for positions than there are qualified people to fill them. Graduate jobs and internships can increase the chance of getting hired by a company, but it also can help in the second stage: landing a secondary job. By seeking a position through graduate job postings or internships begins the development of a resume. This early career resume building indicates to future employers about work ethic and drive, which can set an applicant above others in the same field with similar experience. Take great consideration when choosing graduate jobs and internships as they each lead to a path of development and success, in their own ways. Click here for further information.