College is a time for fun, for learning, for experiences, and for getting ahead with one's life and ambitions. If one knows what his or her interests are career-wise early on, there is no reason why the student cannot take the steps early on in college to become more of a professional. While there is no set formula or requirement, there are some traditional paths one takes to become a young professional.
Joining Professional Organizations While In College
Just as some high schools offer extracurricular organizations like for future business or education professionals, many colleges and universities likewise have clubs for students dependent on major and intended career choices. There are organizations for those interested in teaching, in business, in accounting, among other disciplines. These clubs are typically of low cost to join and can take up as little or as much time as one chooses, depending on how much he or she wants to be an active member or even serve in officer or leadership capacities.
In a similar way, college students are many times welcome to find and join professional organizations of a larger scope, whether regional, national, or even international in scale. Many of the larger flagship organizations offer reduced rates for joining membership along with the proof of enrollment in a degree program or current student identification card. These memberships may allow for reduced hotel and conference registration fees for future events and may offer hard copies of the main journals and publications. These sources are chock full of opportunities to get ahead in the industry and keep one current on knowledge about the discipline and its strongest contributors at any given time. Reading in the field beyond the textbooks can prove impressive when discussing topics with professors as well as with job interviewers.
Included with this, it makes the most sense to take a professor up on an offer to road trip as a group to a regional or national conference for one of the professional organizations in one's chosen field of study. This is the best way to network, to find ways to participate in the future, and provides insight into what type of work is expected for any and all future project proposals, presentations, and publications one chooses to do during a professional career. It is never too early to get one's appetite whet by these experiences. It also helps as it is better to network for jobs at events one is already comfortable at. Therefore, instead of waiting until after graduation or graduate school, get a few conferences and maybe even a conference publication or presentation under the belt before the job hunt begins!
Leadership Roles in Professional Organizations as a College Student
One's involvement as a student could be just as a dues member until one's feet are wet, curiosity is piqued, and maybe, degree is in hand. On the other hand, if one is overly ambitious and committed to a future where early and intensive involvement in professional organizations can open doors (think volunteering on political campaigns so one can later head a campaign committee or run for office), it is worthwhile to pursue using one's interests and talents to benefit the group as a whole.
In fact, volunteering for committees, serving in entry-level officer capacities, and starting to serve on editorial or writing boards for organizational newsletters, blogs, or similar forums helps get one's affiliation as a professional out to those who will be soon colleagues and possible collaborators with the student. Even just volunteering to help with book tables at national conferences helps make connections with professionals in one's given industry. Serving on committees helps reinforce one's commitment as an active professional in the discipline and is hands-on experience to set one's self apart from others applying to similar internships or graduate school programs, or even for first real world jobs.
Publishing Professional Work and Portfolios
While an undergraduate, it is worth seeing what options exist to gain writing experience in one's field of interest. A resume with publications is impressive, and in some fields like higher education tenure-track professorships, expected. Honors theses are one common way to gain hands-on, individualized instruction, and provides a great starting point for publications. See if advisors, course instructors, or graduate students in one's department have any projects to work on as collaborators. It could lead to co-authoring a report or presenting at a conference.
Blogs, journal articles, book reviews, and op-ed articles all demonstrate one's passion and commitment as well as provide for portfolio samples to take to job interviews or to include with job applications. It shows a tenacity as well as an understanding not just of the book knowledge, but in what it takes to become a young professional. Even if it consists of writing for the college newspaper or for a club newsletter, it helps strengthen presentation and communication skills.
Therefore, three areas college students can get ahead professionally are to join professional organizations, serve in professional organizational leadership capacities, and work on assembling a professional portfolio of work, including publications. These things help distinguish leaders and innovators from the rest of the ambitious and highly desirable candidates the young professional may face up against in competition for seats in internship or graduate school programs. Therefore, it is never too early to get started working towards professionalization in one's industry.
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