The Post College Professional

Many professional work roles require you to use applications and technologies in addition to the typical Microsoft Office suite. Whether it's a customer relationship management system, a marketing automation tool, or a human resources application, you need to stay in the know. So if you're juggling more than one, check out these tips to help you stay up to date. 

Visualize a workday at an average job. Is the day full of in-person meetings, phone calls, and gossip at coworkers’ desks? That’s so 2000. Technology is evolving the workplace as we know it. Where there once was one office in one city, there are now remote workers scattered across the world. Where there once were in-person meetings, there are video conferences and cloud collaboration. Are you ready for the technological demands of today’s workplace?

We all love a good online quiz or two. Knowing what superhero you are or your Harry Potter house is super fun, but when was the last time you took a quiz that gave you valuable takeaways for your career? Welcome to the world of professional personality tests! These tests help you understand yourself, how you interact with others, and what careers best tap into your strengths. Here are few that can help you start learning more about yourself: 

You may have graduated, but that doesn’t mean you should stop reading. Now that you’re out in the real world there’s even more to learn! How do you get a promotion? What even is a 401K? How do you do this thing called adulting? Assemble your own fall reading list with these ten suggestions and take on your first years out of college like a champ!

Whether you're at a conference networking or at a casual happy hour, you could be asked, "So, what does your company do?" Of course you know what your company does, but how do you say it in a short statement that everyone understands? Hello, elevator pitch! We all know what an elevator pitch is, but is yours crafted and ready to go? Use these steps to create an effective elevator pitch for any situation.

Are you thinking about switching your job? You’re not alone. About 60% of millennials are currently open to a new job opportunity. And if you do end up switching, you’re likely to switch again. In fact, our generation switches jobs so much that we’re likely to have four or more jobs by the time we’re 32. This phenomenon of job-hopping gives us the freedom to build our career paths on our terms. It also comes with a healthy dose of skepticism from employers. So should you do it? Before you make your next “hop”, consider these pros and cons:

You did it! You survived every interview question! You dazzled them with your experience and you nailed every answer. But then the inevitable moment came when they asked you if you had any questions and you completely froze. Isn’t an interview them asking you questions?

The day is finally here. Whether you’re experiencing working from home freedom for the first time or just landed a remote job, your home and office are one. You now control your accountability, schedule, workstation, and even work outfit. Wondering how it’s possible to stay productive? The key is to resist those temptations at home (looking at you Netflix) and instead create your ideal working from home environment. Try these productivity hacks to maximize your working from home workflow:

Whether school is out for the summer or for the foreseeable future doesn’t mean the learning has to stop. It just means it’s now your responsibility to up your professional knowledge outside of the classroom. Now’s your chance to go beyond essay questions and lectures, and start learning those valuable real world skills future employers will love! You’ll also clarify your ideal career and meet some amazing people along the way. Are you convinced? Try these tips to keep learning this summer and beyond:

It’s officially summer and you know what that means. It’s the season of beach days, picnics, festivals, and summer internships. Whether you’re in college or just graduated, there’s a good chance you’re spending your days at an internship for the next few months. This summer internship checklist is here to help you maximize your experience so it’s both fun and fulfilling. So start channeling your most professional vibes, pull out your notebook, and let’s start planning ways to rock your summer internship: