by Christine Cruz Vergara, Chief Education Strategy Officer at Handshake
As another academic year comes to a close, current college students and brand-new college graduates are gearing up for what comes next. And for many, the summer of 2025 signals the start of a new professional chapter in their lives.
Whether you’re preparing for your first internship or your first full-time job, here are five quick tips to overcome any first-job jitters and successfully navigate this new experience:
Be prepared.
Before your start date, dedicate the time to developing a deep understanding of your company, the industry it occupies and the trends and challenges it faces. By researching in advance — this is one of my four steps to finding your first job after college — you’ll be able to figure out how you can contribute to the organization right away.
Organize your calendar and identify days you have appointments or will be out of town. Communicate those dates to your hiring manager as soon as possible.
Consider adopting habits that set you up for success. That might mean setting a more regular bedtime, scheduling your workouts, and setting a monthly budget and sticking to it.
Be organized.
Ask lots of questions. Don’t be shy about inquiring about the meaning of industry acronyms and company jargon or why your team does things a certain way…..
Continue reading this article in Forbes here.