Connection to the Real World--Employment, Graduate School--Start Networking!

Throughout my time at B-W I have realized how extremely important it is to network and establish connections for future endeavors. Whether you are searching and applying for jobs, internships or graduate school, it is important for you to begin establishing a connection to the real world early in your college career. This will allow you to be better prepared for life after graduation. Let me explain how you can begin this process:

•Test drive career choices with internships to see if you like the environment or career path.

•Evaluate your best fit career choice based on your interests and strengths.

•If you’re unsure about attending graduate school, then research graduate school programs, requirements, and talk to professionals in the field.

•In addition, begin to network with employers you meet, attend networking events on campus, connect with alumni career mentors, and keep close contact with past employers & contacts for future references.

Compile a list of people who can serve as potential references by developing relationships with faculty and supervisors. Come to Career Services and utilize the mentoring program, Career Connections. This program allows you to connect with B-W’s alumni professional who have volunteered to provide you with real world advice and tips on how they reached their goals, the process of adjusting to life after college, and much more. You can also consider informational interviewing that will allow you to identify what employers in your field seek and begin to prepare by tailoring your experiences or developing necessary skills. Baldwin-Wallace College and Career Services can provide you with many resources to prepare you for the real world. Begin taking advantage of all the resources that will help you down the path to a successful career.