Boost Your College Resume

College degree in hand does not automatically mean a job offer. There was a time that this was so, now you have to add to your marketability with extra curricular activities you can list on your resume. Just graduating isn't going to do it, you have to be good at it and do it well.

Do you have additional opportunities that will add to your overall marketability? How can you use the time and energy you have towards smart decisions that will add to round out your experiences?

Consider a semester at sea or a semester abroad. Is it something that just sounds fun? Or is it something that will add to your resume by experiencing another culture as well as learning the language by self-emersion?

If you are working your way through school or working during the summer breaks, are you working in an area that adds to your knowledge or are you spending time making money? Doing both will gain you more in the long run.

If you can't find a job that relates to your studies, can you volunteer in a related area? Doing so will add to your marketability upon graduation. It will also give you a taste of the realities of your chosen career. And, you never know, it might lead to a position that wasn't available had you not volunteered. If you can't afford the time on a regular basis, propose a shadowing situation where you might be able to visit a few times to gain knowledge.

Are you able to take courses during the summer? During a Maymester program? Or even while you are still in high school? This will benefit you by allowing you to take less credit hours during regular school semesters which will in turn gain you the ability to focus more time on fewer classes in order to get better grades.

Get involved on campus. There are opportunities to be apart of student government, the yearbook, or a not for profit organization. Choose one that relates to your degree, not just your interests. Join your department's student club. This will give you connections you cannot get otherwise. Keep in touch with those students who are years ahead of you in school, these connections can be used when job searching.

Live your career choice, by doing so you will have many opportunities to gain marketable experiences. Not only do you need to focus on them, but you need to document them and learn how to express those experiences to the best of your abilities so employers know and understand your focus, determination and interest in your career choice.