One of the most important things to your career and future after college is getting some experience in your field; the only problem is you are still a college student. Many companies will skim over your resume and probably throw it away.  If you are lucky you might get a call back from a company who is willing to give you a chance.  Most of the time it really comes down to who you know and not what you know.  If your dad is the VP at some company you will most likely get a job there because your dad pushed your application through.  You may also know someone who works in the specific field you are interested in and that could be your window of opportunity to getting a job, but more importantly getting some experience in your field.   What if you are the ladder?

What if you don’t know anyone in your field?  What if your dad isn’t the VP of some company that can give you a job tomorrow?  Then what?  Be prepared for a lot of frustration and rejection.  I hate to tell it like it is but it all comes down to who you know and not what you know.  If you don’t know anyone that can help you get your foot in the door then you’ll probably fight an uphill battle to get some experience in your field.  You can’t just sit back and wait for someone to find you, or something good to come along, you have to go out and make it happen yourself.  This will only strengthen your personal skills and your confidence as you will get a lot of practice meeting new people and talking about your skills and experiences.  You’ll also be able to identify your weaknesses and be able to make them better.

Most employers are looking for the perfect candidate to fit their position and their are probably a lot of people who will apply for the same job that you do, and may be more qualified then you.  So what do you do in this cut- throat process of finding experience in your field?  Stand out from the rest.  Find things that you have done in life that makes you better than the others.  Identify your biggest strengths and then emphasize them on your resume and during interviews. What makes you better than the rest?  If you can’t think of anything then find something to do in your free time which will make you stand out from the rest.

My example is simple:  I’ve always wanted to own and operate a website ever since I can remember so I decided to learn web design and development one summer break during college.  SMB College Life is what I have to show for my initiative.  I studied web design and development on my free time, observed a lot of other websites and finally came up with the perfect combination to present as my ‘final work.’  The best part is that employers love it.  Most people I talk to love the fact that I say I want to do something, and then learn the things that I need to in order to do it.  This is what makes me different from others.  While most people talk about they things that they want to do and identify the things that stand in their way but never take action I actually take the necessary actions and learn what I need to in order to do the things I want.  Great things come out of taking action and you’ll have a great experience to talk about which helps you to stand out from the rest at your next interview.  Good Luck!

We are finally pleased to announce that our new SMB College Life Planning Guide is complete. Our 26 page planning guide is loaded with information that will help students to plan for their college education. Included in our planning guide is all the content from the planning section of our website. We have also added new content to add more information to help students. There is also a savings section in our planning guide which offers savings on specific items that students will need going into their first year of college. This planning guide is perfect for high school juniors and seniors as it will help guide you along the right path of planning your college education so that you can save and succeed throughout your college life.

You can read more about our planning guide at www.smbcollegelife.com/Planning.php?info=planningguide. Here you will find all the specifics of our planning guide, the contents, and our overall goals with the release of this guide. You will also find that we offer special discounts to school advisers and counselors who plan to customize their order or place a large quantity order. This planning guide is a perfect value for any student who is looking to further their education through college. It is also perfect for schools who are looking to increase the number of students who attend college after graduation. School counselors are always out numbered by students and have to spend time throughout the year talking to each individual student about their future plans. Sometimes counselors just don’t have the time to talk to each and every student, so what options do those students have who never see the guidance counselor?? Our solution is simple;

Counselors and schools can offer the SMB College Life Planning Guide to all their juniors and seniors so that every student will have the knowledge they need to further their education. If questions arise the counselor can further guide students in the proper direction. This solution will eliminate the need for counselors to explain the entire planning process to ever student so that they can focus more on the specific needs of each individual student.

Other college planning guides are loaded with useless information and can cost $40 or more while our guide is simple, direct and efficient in delivering only the information that you need to succeed. Don’t waste time and money when you can turn to our guide to help you plan, save, and succeed in college. For a small investment you will be well on your way to a successful college future. Check it out! It’s really worth the price.