STEP SEVEN: Find a mentor. Mentors can provide unique insight into your field of interest and give great advice from someone who has previously been in your shoes.
The seventh step is to find a mentor. You are lucky that Middlebury College has a dedicated and active alumni network where alumni volunteer to mentor students.
Within Midd2Midd, MiddMentors is a one-on-one mentoring program with a mission to facilitate meaningful, productive mentoring relationships between alumni and Middlebury students.
MiddMentors matches alumni volunteers with students based on shared interests, affinities, life goals, and other criteria. Alumni share advice, insight, expertise, and support with students, who can join MiddMentors their sophomore year and can remain with the program through graduation. Participants drive the mentoring topics, which can range from navigating life at Middlebury to exploring careers and professional interests to pursuing a rewarding life path.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to mentoring. That’s why we encourage participants to take an approach that best leverages their expertise, availability, and goals. Along the way, we provide support through resources, recommended best practices, and advice.
STEP EIGHT: Practice for interviews. From planning what you will wear, to preparing responses to questions you will be asked—how you present yourself in your interview is within your control. Don’t try to wing it!
Interviews provide an opportunity to present your qualifications and experiences while relating them to the needs of an organization. An interview gives you a chance to confirm that the opportunity is a good fit for both you and the employer. Preparation and practice are keys to a successful interview.
Make sure you review professional dress guidelines, practice common interview questions, and study the types of interviews. You can learn all about interviews in our Interview Preparation Guide.
STEP NINE: Enjoy Podcasts, Career-related books, and more.
I know it seems like a lot to ask you to spend MORE time between classes and homework, papers and exams, but if you are feeling too busy, try to make a commitment to listen to a podcast that will help with your growth for five minutes a day. Small investments in yourself do add up, even if only 5 minutes per day.
Podcasts: Have some down time while walking around campus or out on a run? Check out The Muse’s 6 Career-Boosting Podcasts You’re Going to Love Listening To or Forbes’ Feeling Stuck In Your Career? Add These 15 Podcasts To Your List.
Books: Read The Muse’s 21 Books That’ll Get You Ahead at Work, According to Top Career Coaches, Forbes’ 5 Must-Read Books For Your Career In 2021, or The Balance Careers’ The 8 Best Career Books of 2021.