School is out! Congratulations. You have another year under your belt. You can accomplish a lot in two months while on summer break. What will you do?
First Step
Sit down with an old fashioned piece of paper and a pencil. Make two columns. One for your aptitudes, things you are naturally good at. Second, for your passions, the things you love and enjoy. Then below your two columns list companies or organizations where you could enhance those things and learn more.
Second Step
Make a profile on LinkedIn. Yes! Every student should do this! Search for companies and organizations from your written list.You can also search by job title, which is helpful. You can find people within those companies that have positions you aspire to have and send them a message. In your message state that you find them inspiring and want to learn more about what they do. Ask if they have any advice for a student like you. Ask how you can gain experience NOW in that industry or field. You will be surprised at the responses you get!
Find a Job or Internship
This is a great opportunity and an amazing thing to put on any college application. Don’t be afraid to call or email a company or organization to ask if they have any opportunities available. The worst they will say is no. If you drop by or send an email be sure to have a cover letter and resume to give. For example, If you have an interest in animals you could call or visit a local vet office and ask if they could use some summer help. If you have an interest in graphic design you could contact a local printer. It’s a great time to learn how to network. This is an important life skill that will help you throughout your life and career. Talk to your parents, neighbors, people at church, etc. and explain what you want. If you get a “no” don’t get discouraged. Explain what you are looking for. Ask if they have any advice or suggestions of who to contact. They may know with whom to refer you.
Volunteer
This is another great thing to add to your resume and college application. It is an opportunity to gain experience in an area for which you have interest. Think about what causes relate to your aptitudes and passions. Search for non-profit organizations that have those qualities.
Become an Entrepreneur
Use your aptitudes and passions to create your own business! Do you have a service to offer or a valuable product that you can create and sell? Use social media and your network to make your business flourish.
You Got This!
Summer is a valuable time to gain experiences that will help you grow. You may try something and decide that’s exactly what you want to do for your career. You may also get the opportunity to try something that you thought would be fun and interesting but wasn’t. Then, you know not to major in it later and you can try something else. Ether way, use this time wisely and reach for the stars.
Melanie Black is a trained Academic Life Coach and mindfulness educator. She is passionate about helping others and learning all she can in the process. With over twelve years of experience in the field of education, she is determined to help students succeed in school and life. “ One of my goals is to continue to be a humanitarian who helps our local community. I am passionate about my relentless pursuit of knowledge and desire to help others.“
