Horizon Point Consulting

Category: College Students

Beyond Ready is resources for students preparing for college and/or career. This category archive specifically features blogs about College Students.

  • Another Year Around the Sun; Focus for 2023

    Another Year Around the Sun; Focus for 2023

    I celebrated my birthday last week. The older I get, the more I realize there are only a handful of things
    in life that are truly important. Since my birthday falls in early January, it is a great time to reflect on what
    went well and what didn’t the previous year, and to set intentions for focus for the upcoming year.

    Prior to writing this post, my daughter, a high school senior, asked me to proofread a college scholarship
    essay. I may be biased, but it was wonderful. She gets it. It helped me realize that maybe I am doing
    something right, and also confirmed my thoughts on what goals and intentions are truly worth my effort.
    Here is just a small blurb from the essay:

    …as I try to listen to my teacher explain the economical state of our country. After I finish my homework
    during class, I watch the tiny seconds hand of the clock tick by as I wait for the class to end. When the
    day is done, I let out a sigh of relief as I know I am about to go home to the most important thing in my
    life: my family, the people I know without a doubt believe I can achieve whatever I set my mind to, no
    matter the circumstances…

    At Horizon Point, we determine an annual theme every January. As a team, we talk through business
    development, focus, and direction for the year. I have decided to do the same in my personal life. A few
    areas I hope to focus on this year are health, financial wellness, career goals all while keeping my faith
    and family at the center of it all.

    Do you set goals or action plans for the new year or on your birthday? Here are a couple of previous
    blog posts to inspire you to take action.

    4 Things my Goals Taught me in 2022 about how to be Brave in 2023

    Do You Have a Plan of Action to Reach Your Goals?

  • 4 Pieces of Advice for College Students

    4 Pieces of Advice for College Students

    One of the things I like to do most is help students consider what would maximize their learning and experiences in preparation for the working world.  

    I recently had lunch with a student who is majoring in business and thinking about concentrating in Human Resources.  She is bright, well-rounded and is exploring multiple possibilities.  She asked good questions about what to consider, and I found myself offering this advice that I would offer to most college students, in particular, business school students:

    1.  Study or work abroad at some point before you graduate.  I know the cost of this may be prohibitive for some, but there are multiple ways to make sure this experience doesn’t cost you anything.  The reason I find this valuable is because so much of the work I do now and see so many people doing, takes place in a global context.  The best way to be equipped and ahead of the curve given this reality is to spend time abroad.  

    I spent a summer taking classes in the UK between my sophomore and junior year of college. This was a valuable experience, but the culture and the language were not that different from what I was used to in the States.  I would challenge students to think about a place to study or work that puts them outside of their comfort zone and helps them learn about a different culture.  It not only builds global business acumen but also is one of the best ways to build self-awareness, confidence, and independence.   These are traits I hear a lot of employers say are sometimes lacking in young adults.

    2. Take classes outside of your discipline.  I encouraged the student I met with to take more classes than the basic ones required in Accounting and Finance and Marketing/Sales if she does concentrate in Human Resources.  Having a clear understanding of all aspects of business is important for any business professional, especially HR professionals.  This knowledge will provide a competitive advantage.   If you are majoring outside of business, take upper-level classes outside your discipline and not just your required, intro classes to give you a broader perspective and unique insights that could be applied to the direction you want to take your career.  

    3. Volunteer and get involved in leadership roles.   I learned a lot about how to lead by some of the successes and mistakes I made being the President of my sorority for half of my junior and half of my senior year.  These leadership lessons and failures helped me apply knowledge learned in the classroom and led me to make different decisions in the real world of work because I had learned a lot about what not to do when it comes to motivating people and getting results.  In addition, I learned a lot through volunteering at a local elementary school’s program where most of the students lived in poverty as well as working with volunteer organizations over summer break earlier in my college years.   Find a cause(es) that you are passionate about on or off campus and see what you can do to volunteer and then lead.

    4. Don’t rush into “real” life.   I graduated a semester early (mainly because of earning college credits in high school), started working full-time immediately, and got married about seven months after I graduated.  Whereas I don’t regret getting off my parents payroll quickly because they had already done so much to support me, the experiences learned in my first real job out of college, or the timing of my marriage, I do look back and think it would have been wise to have done something that would have only been possible during that time in my life before jumping right into all things adult.  

    This is a balancing act that involves a lot when it comes to finances and long-term plans and goals. The answer to the right path is different for everyone.  All I advise is to take some time to reflect on things before you launch headlong into moving to the next phase in your life while you have unique opportunities and age on your side.  Once you get to certain places in your life (job, mortgage, kids, etc.) you can’t go back and do some things you could have done between college and “the real world.”

     

    What advice would you give to college students today?

  • Revisiting 4 Tips to an Awesome Job Shadow or Informational Interview

    Revisiting 4 Tips to an Awesome Job Shadow or Informational Interview

    A couple of years ago, I worked with a student who participated in a job shadow offered through a program at her school. She was interested in the medical field. However, during the job shadow, she realized it was not for her. The eye-opening experience helped guide her to another path.

    Summer is almost here, and now is a great time for recent grads and college students to consider a job shadow or internship! If opportunities for those are not available, an informational interview is another option. All of these are valuable components of career exploration. I would argue they are just as important as interest assessments.

    Where do you begin? Talk to your high school counselor or a career advisor to brainstorm ideas. Then, revisit our blog “4 Tips to an Awesome Job Shadow or Informational Interview.”

  • An Authentic Resume… What Sets You Apart?

    An Authentic Resume… What Sets You Apart?

    While we are contemplating authenticity, how does this relate to the job seeker, and in particular, his or her resume? This week I’ve spent some time reviewing resume assignments for our facilitating career development course. It’s amazing how many formats and takes there are on the traditional resume. As a job seeker, your resume is the key to getting your foot in the door. So, how do you present the best possible version of yourself in two pages or less, and how can you ensure it is authentic?

    Resumes are tricky. I always recommend having a master resume that you can adjust based on the position for which you are seeking. I encourage clients and participants of our course to seek out the employers’ point of view when applying for a job and crafting a resume. What sets you apart from other candidates is your authenticity. So, how can you accomplish this?

    1. Always, always, always be honest. Even if you have a gap in your employment history, don’t adjust dates to cover yourself. You can simply add in the productive work you did during your off time (classes taken, volunteer work, etc.). You can also provide insight in your cover letter. Once you are offered the opportunity to interview, you can provide details.
    2. Find out what the employer is looking for and share your expertise. I once took an online course in resume writing and the presenter shared something that I still remember today. “An employer is looking for one of three things from a candidate – for them to make the company money, save the company money, or save the company time.” You can often determine which one based on the job description. Once you know, show how you have done this in previous positions, providing “authentic” quantitative data (saved XYZ company X amount of dollars by implementing this process, etc.)
    3. Utilize LinkedIn to truly share your authenticity. LinkedIn is a great way to share your professional experience with a potential employer. Believe it or not, many employers find passive candidates via LinkedIn. When colleagues are providing endorsements and recommendations, authenticity seems evident.

    Is your resume authentic? Check out the Point Blog for more resume tips and ideas.

  • The Best Financial Planning Tips For Recent College Grads

    The Best Financial Planning Tips For Recent College Grads

    Written by guest blogger: Jackie Waters. Jackie is passionate about sustainability and simplicity.  She runs hyper-tidy.com, providing advice on being…Hyper Tidy!

    Graduating college is a huge milestone in anyone’s life, but it can also be a little scary. Where do you go from here? How do you start building savings while you’re looking for your dream job? Those questions can be overwhelming if you let them, so the first step is to sit down and write out a plan. Think about your goals and how you can shape them; are you just ready to plan for the immediate future, or do you want to take steps to create a retirement fund? It’s never too early to start thinking about such things; in fact, depending on your current income, you’re going to need an estimated 70-90% of what you make now to maintain your standard of living after you retire. That means a lot of saving and planning, so sit down and work out a budget so that you can begin putting away money weekly or bi-weekly.

    Here are some of the best tips on how to get creative and start planning for the future:

    Ask for help

    You don’t have to do all the planning for your future alone; when family members ask about potential holiday or birthday gifts, tell them you’d love a contribution to add to your own savings account rather than a store-bought gift. Your loved ones will appreciate knowing that their gift will go to a worthy cause, and you’ll have a little extra to sock away for the future.

    Work out a budget

    This can be tricky if you’re just starting out with a new career, as you may not be completely familiar with what your income will be like just yet. That’s okay; estimate what your monthly income will be and add up all your expenses–car payment, insurance, rent or mortgage, utilities, etc.–to see what you have leftover. If it’s not enough to cover groceries and gas, it’s time to start thinking about ways to make a little extra cash. If you have experience in accounting, consider doing some freelance work during tax season (your tax situation will be a bit different as your client will have to use 1099 software to get you the proper form); if you’re skilled at something creative, like making jewelry or art, start an online shop to sell your wares. You can also use social media to garner interest in babysitting or tutoring jobs, as well. Having extra money means you can focus on making your way toward your dream job.

    Say no to credit

    While it’s a good idea to build up your credit for big purchases–such as a home or a car–it’s important to stay as debt-free as possible. This means saving up for that television instead of opening up a line of credit at the store, and only using your credit cards when you absolutely have to. Relying on them for everyday purchases is a good way to get deep into debt, which will only hinder your ability to save for the future.

    Pay off your debts

    Many of us are burdened with student loans that have astronomical interest rates, so, if possible, start paying them down as soon as possible. Add an extra twenty-five or fifty dollars to your payment when you can, and don’t put it off because you don’t think you can manage a payment one particularly tight month; instead, pinch those pennies in other areas. Start taking your lunch to work rather than relying on fast food, and carpool when you can to save on gas.

    Saving and planning for the future doesn’t have to be a stressful event. Start small and figure out what your goals are; the rest will fall into place with a little preparation.