It seems like everything we know has been turned upside down. Despite a good chunk of colleges not being able to provide the same quality of education before the pandemic, students still are left with the same price tag. Many colleges have started to offer online services that you should take advantage of right now.
Are you using these 5 free virtual resources your college offers?
Is it Enough Just to Know About These Free Virtual Resources?
The first step is knowing that these resources are available. From there, you need to find out how to use them to your advantage.
1. Virtual Career Fairs
The switch from in-person to online can be difficult. Even so, trying out a virtual career fair could help you land a job after college. Most of the tips about going to a physical career fair might still apply, especially when it involves questions you should ask. In addition, you can find out who are still hiring in your area, make connections with people who can help you get a job in that companies, and discover what jobs you’re interested in.
You don’t have to just go to one. I recommend going to as many virtual career fairs as you can. This allows you to find out how the career fairs are being set-up and what you can do to make them work for you. Look out for emails from your school or contact the career center to find out.
2. Career Portal
Most universities in the U.S. have a job portal that students can use. For example, WGU and UNLV use something called Handshake for students. Is it worth it? I think so. Anyway you can get your name out there is a good thing! In my experience, I landed a paid internship by using my school’s career portal.
One major advantage of also using a career portal from your school is employees looking only for university students are more likely to use them. To find out if you have one, ask the career center at your school. In addition, be on the look out to see if there are more than one. Back when I went to UNLV, there were one only for business majors and one for all students no matter their major.
Once you decide to use their career portal, use it! There’s a good chance you can fill out a profile. Do that and highlight your accomplishments. Another important part is looking for jobs. Make sure you filter for the jobs/internship opportunities you want. Also, don’t be afraid to apply outside of the portal if there is a way to do it on that company’s website.
3. Online Groups for Students and Alumni
It’s time to do some networking online. The best part is you save on transportation costs, and you can always add this to an in-person networking strategy later on. Your goals may vary, but it is important to think about what you want to achieve.
Is your primary goal to get a job, explore career options, or learn what skills you need to succeed in your field? All three of those can be your goals, but what’s your main focus? Once you know that, it will be easier to decide which groups you want to join.
Check Facebook and LinkedIn to uncover groups. Moreover, there might be a website for students and alumni from your school that you can sign up for.
4. Webinars and Networking Events
Lately, a lot of schools have been doing webinars and online networking events. Check out and go to the ones that excite you or seem helpful. Also, you aren’t limited to just the ones at your university. Go and search for ones that could work for you.
5. Get Discounts/free services and products
You can always find some free services and discounts for students. Whether it’s a discounted Amazon student account or Adobe Creative suite, look for a deal before you buy. All you need to do is Google “discounts for university students” to find some good deals. It also helps to know what deals you need.
