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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nOr, even worse, they\u2019re asking you to upload a… what? Resume? A one-page showcase of your experiences? Uh, that\u2019s never come up before! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t worry – I thought the exact same thing not even two years ago. I had never been asked to describe my accomplishments in such a capacity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what made it more difficult is that I had no record of said accomplishments. Sure, teachers advised us to keep track of our community service activities and other work, but how was I supposed to do that when I had so much else going on? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let me tell you that it is in fact possible to prepare for the future while you work on the present. And I\u2019m here to share a few tips for doing that \u2013 things I wish I would have done before college! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Write it down while it\u2019s fresh<\/strong> \u2013 Set aside time after you\u2019re done working on something to reflect. What were the key outcomes? Did you use a specific set of skills? What did you learn? <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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- Stay organized <\/strong>\u2013 Have a centralized place where you keep record of your relevant experiences. For example, maybe dedicate a notebook to a specific job or have a running Google Doc. Either way, you should know where to locate these items when you need them. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/musicforwardfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/hand-33988_1920-edited.jpg\")
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- Use your resources, even if you don\u2019t have access to them yet<\/strong> \u2013 Get in touch with your college or university\u2019s career services office and find out what they offer. Determine whether you\u2019ll need an internship for your program and start browsing. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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- Gather a list of references before you\u2019re asked for them <\/strong>\u2013 When you\u2019re in the early stages of your career, most of your references may be high school teachers or advisors. Start asking them early if they\u2019re okay with being listed as a reference for applications. Keep in mind, though, that these references may become less relevant later in your career, so continue to make connections as you go along! <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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- Look ahead<\/strong> \u2013 Figure out what it is you want post-grad and then start shooting for that. Examine job descriptions and find transferable skills. How can you show that you\u2019re already building the skills your dream company needs? <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Again, I know that focusing on a million things at once is hard but trust me when I say that you will not regret being prepared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Written by Carly Webster, Career and Learning Fall 2023 Music Forward Intern <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
- Look ahead<\/strong> \u2013 Figure out what it is you want post-grad and then start shooting for that. Examine job descriptions and find transferable skills. How can you show that you\u2019re already building the skills your dream company needs? <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Gather a list of references before you\u2019re asked for them <\/strong>\u2013 When you\u2019re in the early stages of your career, most of your references may be high school teachers or advisors. Start asking them early if they\u2019re okay with being listed as a reference for applications. Keep in mind, though, that these references may become less relevant later in your career, so continue to make connections as you go along! <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Use your resources, even if you don\u2019t have access to them yet<\/strong> \u2013 Get in touch with your college or university\u2019s career services office and find out what they offer. Determine whether you\u2019ll need an internship for your program and start browsing. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
- Stay organized <\/strong>\u2013 Have a centralized place where you keep record of your relevant experiences. For example, maybe dedicate a notebook to a specific job or have a running Google Doc. Either way, you should know where to locate these items when you need them. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n