Preparing For Graduation 2021

Really? Prep for graduation two years away? That seems a little crazy...

But it's not all that crazy. You prep for the Olympics and Presidential elections way in advance. How is your career not a big deal? Granted it's not the Olympics, but surely it has a great deal of meaning to you and it's worth the right amount of attention.

There is a lot you can do in the next two years so let's take advantage as early as we can.

For starters, pretend you are 100% on your own. Career advisors can be helpful but it all comes down to the person. If you have somebody amazing at your school, you are lucky. If you don't, it's not a big deal. For careers in public service, most students have no one to turn to other than possibly a professor or former alum. Overwhelmingly, the time, money, and career resources on campus support the business school students. History, women's studies, political science, and communication majors get the scraps.

So grab the bull by the horns and think about the 18-months ahead. Here are a few tips to consider as you plan your collegiate exit strategy and entry into the professional world:

1.) Don't think in years or months. Think about the total number of days.

"I don't need to do anything until Thanksgiving," sounds like forever. Until you realize that Thanksgiving is 90 days away. Say to yourself, "What am I doing throughout the next 90-days to build my resume and my experience?"

If you are heading into your junior (or senior) year, it's a very good idea to think about solid resume builders even if you only tackle something a couple times a semester (College Republican or Dem Club) or only one morning a week (District Office internship).

2.) Every congressional office has a District Office.

Every college in America has a Member of Congress and every District Office has a District Director. These are cost-effective professional internship experiences close to home and school. Don't forget, the Congress has $14 million to pay interns so you can get yourself up to $1,800 per month for your internship.

3.) Handshake has only a fraction of what's out there.

Handshake makes people lazy. Take for example the University of Virginia. For six weeks, we have been trying to place congressional internships and congressional jobs on the UVA Handshake platform. They have done absolutely nothing with these leads.

Meanwhile, as a student you pay a very high price to go to UVA. Setting aside the scary data grab that is Handshake, how many jobs and internships are lost because employers turn away from a school and go elsewhere.

4.) Trust but verify the advice of parents.

Your Mom loves you, but if she never worked in corporate America, she might not be your best source for a corporate interview. Same goes for congressional positions, law school applications, and political campaign jobs. Parents with political experience and connections can be massively helpful (sometimes) but it's best to cast a wide net and learn as much as you can from a wide range of experts before making a major decision.

5.) The buck always stops with you.

Many professors want to help (and get your tuition). Some career services staffers want to help (and get your fees). Handshake wants to help everyone (and get paid handsomely). Your parents want to help you (and you want their money)! But at the end of the day, it's your job and your responsibility to design your own path. Rich or poor, if you give it the focus it deserves, you will be successful.

Time On The Hill is the #1 sourcing partner for incredible congressional candidates from all across the country. To date, we have helped more than 3,000 professionals throughout Washington. There are thousands of positions. You only need one. To learn more, visit www.timeonthehill.com. We look forward to learning about you!