CMU Journalism Alumni Give Tips for Success

Students spend lots of time and money on furthering their education and hoping for the dream career after graduation.  Tuesday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 7, more than 15 alumni from the Department of Journalism came back to Central Michigan University to increase students knowledge on how they can get the most out of their education.

The event was designed by journalism 556 students, which is the Integrative Public Relations seminar class. It was called the Journalism Academic Alumni Homecoming. Many alumni gave tips for the “do and don’ts” of succeeding in the “real world.”

Some tips from Alumni were:

1. Get involved- find Registered Student Organization, other organizations and groups to spend time and build your resume.  Any involvements will help you gain knowledge as well.
2. Use Career services to its fullest- the resources are free and here, so use them while you still can benefit.  Have your resume and cover letters reviewed. Do mock interviews to see how you react to questions verbally and nonverbally.
3. Build relationships and begin to network- this could be with professionals, professors or students. Any type of networking will help in the end. Building relationships with your professors can help with references and recommendation letters.
4. Create an image or brand for yourself- there are so many people looking for jobs, so it is important to dig deeper in order to find something that sets you apart.
5. Check your spelling and grammar repeatedly- many applications are tossed right away if there is one spelling error or wrong grammar usage.  Don’t just spell check it, but reread it and have friends and family look over.
6. Keep CLEAN social media accounts- most of the alumni said they used Facebook and Twitter to check background information of potential candidates. If they have the same friends as you, they will ask how your work ethic is or other personalized questions.
7. Work hard even if it is for free- internships are great because you gain many experiences. Even if they do not pay, do not give up! Show your employer you are serious about the opportunity. Working hard will show you care and may keep you under the chopping block if there are budget cuts.

These are only a few tips that will help you further your education and get your moneys worth from CMU or other universities.  When graduation day arrives, it is up to you to create your own path to success and utilize what you have learned during college.