Tips for life after graduation from a 2020 DSU Graduate

We’ve done it! We made it to our graduation and have completed our degrees. If you’re anything like me, you had a plan, you were prepared to graduate, and felt incredibly optimistic for the future. Then BAM our lives were changed by COVID-19. Maybe your internship ended, or your job offer got put on hold. It can be easy to look at this bleakly but there is still so much good to look forward to.

In preparing for my next step, I thought I’d share the insights I’ve gained for how to best create an online presence, stay connected, and land a great job.

Sometimes managing our online presence seems like another tedious task. But good presence can be the difference between landing a job and being seen as unprepared. So how do you show you’re prepared? Here are the top tips for having the best LinkedIn profile from our very own Career Services:

• Have a current and professional headshot, as well as a cover photo that highlights you (an interest, location you like, hobby).
• Make sure your headline works for you. Briefly share about what opportunities you’re looking for or possible future goals.
• Use the about section to showcase what motivates you, your skill sets, or your values. This is your chance to show your personality and not just your accomplishments.
• Your experience section should feature what you’ve done/accomplished in the same way a resume does. You’ve only got a short window to impress recruiters so make sure it counts!

One of the big benefits of LinkedIn is that beyond job searching you can also connect with fellow DSU alumni who work for companies you hope to work for. A great place to connect with alumni is in the DSU Alumni group or by searching alumni on the Dixie State page.

Speaking of connecting with alumni, one of the best parts about being a Dixie State grad is that your involvement on campus doesn’t have to end. Becoming a member of the Alumni Association helps you not only stay connected to DSU, but also find others who, like you, blazed their trail at Dixie.

The Alumni Association has local chapters all throughout the US and each hold annual events in their area. There are chapters in Arizona, Idaho, Las Vegas, the Northeast, Seattle, Southern California, and both Northern and Southern Utah.

Beyond creating connections, the Alumni Association also offers some awesome deals through the Dixie Traditions app and Dixie Deals. As an alum you can get discounts on car rentals, 10% off at the Campus Store, and deals for Trailblazer athletic events. Visit alumni.utahtech.edu to learn more and register as an alumni member.

I know that finding a job in a time like this can be crazy stressful. But Career Services has teamed up with other campuses from across Utah for a virtual career fair. Coming up on May 12, the career fair will offer access to companies seeking recent graduates. You can register for the event at uace.org/statewide-alumni-fair. It’s a wonderful way to network, secure a position, and begin blazing the next chapter of your trail.

You can also check out the “2-Hour Job Search” guide on the Career Services website. This exercise will show you how to work smarter – and faster – to secure first interviews.

It’s not easy to be a graduate in an uncertain time like this. But I, like you, know that I’ve gained so much at Dixie. After all, aren’t we all Trailblazers and isn’t blazing a new trail what we were prepared for?!