A lot of colleges build lasting relationships with employers - you can take advantage of this! A good way to get in the loop of what goes on in your business school is to join clubs and other organizations. They often hold networking events, invite guest speakers, and will give you insight into evolving changes in the industry.
LinkedIn Tips
If there's anything in particular I would change about my past is not getting on LinkedIn EARLIER. Posting about recent professional accomplishments such as landing/completing an internship, studying abroad, public speaking, or earning a new license or certification are all great ways to inform employers about unique achievements that may not have a place on your resume.
Career Fair
No matter who tells you that career fairs are only for juniors and seniors, don't listen! Attend your schools' career fair from the very beginning - your first semester of freshman year. If you're a business major, you need to get used to being in an environment where you can talk about yourself. It can definitely feel unnatural, but you might surprise yourself! Either way, practice makes perfect, and by the time you're serious about finding an internship or job, you'll be very confident going into any career fair or networking event.
I was able to get my first internship the summer after my sophomore year at A.J. Dwoskin & Associates, a real estate firm in Northern Virginia. I connected with this employer for the first time at the career fair, and their human resources representative called me a few weeks after, asking if I would like to set up an interview. I worked at AJD for 12-weeks and was able to earn all of my spending money for abroad, and gained super valuable, relevant experience in my field. I couldn't have asked for a better internship, and I have the JMU career fair to thank for it!
Business School Opportunities
Although every school is different, its likely that each business school at every college will have multiple opportunities for professional development. Whether its alumni networking events, field trips, guest speaking events, or student-faculty mixers, take advantage of every opportunity that could possibly get you a lead for an internship/ job, or just heighten your networking skills.
At JMU, I attended the 2024 Career Trek in Washington DC last winter, and had the opportunity to visit offices such as Accenture Federal, Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and CGI. I had a great experience meeting JMU alumni at these firms and learning about their industries and internship/ job opportunities.
During my semester abroad, my faculty-member-in-residence happened to be the College of Business' Associate Dean. The following spring, she gave me the opportunity to speak at the Atlantic Union Bank Center about my study abroad and College of Business experiences at CHOICES events in the spring. CHOICES events are held for newly admitted students and their families to learn about all of the wonderful opportunities and resources that JMU has to offer. I now get the frequent opportunity to connect with many more prospective students and their families as a new member of the COB Student Advisory Council.
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