Soon-to-be-graduates are preparing for spring commencement, but they may also be wondering to themselves: what exactly are employers looking for in college candidates?
Luckily, the Center for Leadership, Activities and Career Services (CLACS) has compiled a list of helpful qualities that can give students a competitive edge when seeking employment.
The latest speaker series event, “Nine Things You Can Do in College to Land a Job After Graduation and Get the Skills Employers are Looking for,” was presented by Ferris advertising and integrated marketing communications sophomore Erin Patten Tuesday, March 28.
Patten, whose job includes overseeing all social media for the CLACS office and presenting the opportunities the office offers, put the presentation together herself with a little influence from previous presentations.
“The process for choosing what traits employers are looking for is using online sources such as Forbes articles, professional blogs on LinkedIn and personal opinions of employers who visit during career fair,” Patten said.
The presentation’s objective was to share what college students can do right now to appeal to employers later, beginning with volunteering, joining an RSO (there are more than 230 on campus) practicing leadership skills, practicing interviewing skills, as well as building a solid résumé.
Online interfaces offered through Ferris State University and the MyFSU domain such as Orgsync allow for students to find volunteer opportunities and log their hours.
Other activities that students can participate in while in college include conducting research before an interview, pursuing internships before graduating, attending educational Five-Star events and getting involved on campus.
Students seeking help with creating résumés may contact CLACS for free advice.
The next event in the ASC speaker series, “Critical Thinking: The Importance of Asking Questions” will take place 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 11, in Science 102.