How do you get a job after you graduate from college?
Conventional wisdom, parents, and high school guidance counselors have long told us:
- Get into the right school
- Choose the right major
- Get good grades
In today’s market, that’s no longer true.
According to a 2012 report published by The Chronicle of Higher Education (and summarized in The Atlantic), today’s employers want to hire college graduates who’ve had internships and previous work experience (both paid and volunteer).
What happens to you on an internship or a job you have during your college years? A lot of things that may not happen in a classroom.
You learn how to work with other people. You learn to negotiate and resolve conflict. You develop “real world” communication skills like learning to write effective email messages, delivering persuasive presentations, talking with prospects and customers. All of these are essential life and work skills.*
How does Lincoln Christian University help its future graduates?
All students complete volunteer “service learning” hours every semester. These projects and opportunities can give you some of those experiences your future employers will want to see.
And Business Administration majors (as well as many others) at LCU can take internships during their senior year and get academic credit at the same time. Internships are often a great way for students to “try on” a field of interest before jumping into it full time after graduation. We’ve had students who’ve taken internships that led directly into full-time jobs; we’ve also had students who’ve done internships and decided they’d prefer employment along a different career path. Either way, they’ve gained valuable insight into the job market, learned more about themselves and their own interests, and developed skills and experience that make them more desirable to prospective employers.
One thought from a professor: while employers may not place a lot of importance on GPA, you still need to get decent grades to stay in school. Keep that in mind.
As an aside, LCU was recently named the best Christian college in Illinois by CollegeandSeminary.com. We’d love to have you consider preparing for your future with us.
*These are all skills Business Administration majors learn in our program as well.