As the academic year flies by, the initial thrill and anticipation of graduating may be replaced by fear and dread for many seniors. Given the state of the economy over the past few years, it’s not hard to see why. But things seem to be improving:  While the national unemployment rate hovers around 9.6 percent, the 2011 Job Outlook Survey by the NACE shows that 13.5 percent more graduates from the class of 2011 will be hired than from the class of 2010.

But being proactive is a much better approach to life after college than panicking, or just assuming things will fall into place, and Northeastern offers its students an opportunity to do this that seems to go overlooked by many. On Aug. 3, 2010, The News reported that Northeastern’s Career Services office was ranked the best career service department in the nation by the Princeton Review. The Career Services office offers students assistance with searching for a job, and more students should take advantage of this resource.

This week Career Services will provide the opportunity for students to meet with four different employers to discuss post-graduate employment opportunities including City Year, Shawmut Design and Construction and IBM. Even if you’re not interested in a job at one of these places, it’s worth it to take some time to talk to a professional about your plans and get some advice from someone who has been there. Network a little.
The Center offers small group job searches daily. Coming up on Tuesday is a “Linkedin Lab.” Our world is becoming increasingly technological, and to use social networking for more than just updating your Facebook status can be more helpful than we realize.

Career Services hosts career fairs throughout the year, (the next is coming up on Nov. 10), and offers an information session prior to the fairs to give attendees advice on how to take advantage of the opportunity. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get a job out of it. Maybe you won’t. But checking it out is better than sitting in your room playing Mario Kart. Again, networking is good.

The Center provides advice on applying to grad schools too. It’s great to think college students know everything, but the truth is we don’t. Instead of relying on our instincts and web pages, why not talk to someone more experienced about the best way to go about applying?

The center has good services, and should do a better job of advertising this to students – emails are easily lost in this day and age – but regardless, check it out sometime.

Maybe you do know everything about planning for life after college, but maybe you don’t. And instead of sitting around, worrying and waiting for May to roll around, be proactive. Take some initiative for the future. There’s a chance that nothing Career Services does helps in the search for your job, but maybe it will. What’s there to lose?