Students: How to Manage Your Time to Prep for the Workforce

Wake-Up-Ready-to-Face-Your-Day

In between classes, sporting events, parties, studying, intramurals, and student government, it’s a wonder students ever have a chance to sleep. And for seniors, finding a job tacks on another added pressure. How can you balance your daily routine while prepping to enter the workforce? With these helpful tips, you can squeeze time into your packed schedule to make sure you are career ready.

  1. Wake up early! Students tend to cringe at this idea and jump through hoops just to avoid an 8 am class. But as terribly trite as it sounds, the early bird catches the worm. Give yourself a half hour window before you head to class to organize your day. Making a ‘To Do’ list or planning a schedule outline is proven to make you more productive. Your mind is sharpest in the morning—so use it!
  2. Use your time between classes to your advantage. Stuck on the west side of campus with ten minutes before your next class starts? Pull out your computer or tablet and read some resume tweaks and interview tips. In these simple spare moments, you can broaden your breadth of knowledge and increase your chances of hire.
  3. Put down your phone. In the time it takes for you to check your Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook feed, you could be reviewing practice interview questions. Don’t feel like you need to get rid of social media altogether, just be aware of how much time it can cost you. Once you realize that photo uploads and status updates can wait, you will be amazed at how productive you can be.
  4. Make sure you have interview outfits ready. Whether you decide to go shopping close to campus or try on an outfit already in your closet, take a little time to pull together the interview staples. Nothing is more stressful than asking around for a blazer, pencil skirt, or tie the night before a short notice interview. Don’t forget appropriate shoes!
  5. Allot yourself time at least once a week to apply for jobs. You can’t expect to land a dream job—or even know what your dream job may be—unless you spend time researching and applying for open positions. Set a chunk of time to scour OneWire for job opportunities at all different companies. This way you will know what options are available to you and what fits your level of education and experience.

Arguably, no one is as busy as a student. But if you follow these tips, you will be able to efficiently find time to prepare for a successful future while keeping up with your fast-paced lifestyle.

At OneWire, our goal is to not only help students find a job, but find one that you are truly excited about. Visit our site to create a free online profile to search and connect with over 450 top employers in the finance industry. For more career advice, check out ourCareer Resources page, featuring interviews with leading industry CEOs on how they made it to the top.

By Alexandra Petrini