Far too many students go through college with unrealistic expectations. These students somehow expect to graduate with a good job, even though they do little or nothing to earn one. They avoid what is obvious to everyone around them and bury their heads in the sand. They don’t listen to their advisors, their parents or the career services professionals. Are you one of these students?

When you never hit your stride, don’t do more than required and rarely go out of your way to make something good happen, the outcomes are limited. Do you avoid responsibility but somehow expect someone to come to your rescue or bail you out of a jam? Do you believe that you are somehow entitled to forgiveness, second chances, special treatment and a good job? Unfortunately, you will learn (the hard way) that you won’t land a good job having done nothing to earn one.

If you would like to graduate from college with a job that pays well, you must come to the realization that employers are going to look for the positive results that you have already achieved, by the time you graduate.

Which statement will represent your performance during the college years?

1. You can show employers no positive results
2. You can describe a couple of small positive results
3. You can offer many positive results in a variety of areas
4. You have achieved exceptional results in several areas

If you are fully satisfied with your performance and the likely outcome, that’s fine. However, if you are not satisfied with where you are likely to end up, you will have to change what you are doing and achieve more and better results.

1. In the Classroom
2. In Campus Activities
3. In the Community
4. At Work
5. In your Leisure Activities

The best jobs go to the students who have made themselves attractive to employers, by proving that they are ready and able to make significant contributions in their organizations.

Every student has the ability to change, do more and do better. However, each of you will individually choose to change or not change, do more or not do more and do better or not do better.

There is a direct relationship between the choices you make and the results you will achieve. Therefore, you have a great deal of control over the results you produce. It’s in your hands. If you want more success, you can have more success. What would six or eight more hours of job focused activity each week do for your future?

If you are unwilling to do the things that are likely to produce the employment results you want and expect, there is one undeniable and certain outcome - disappointment. Nobody gains knowledge, improves skills, obtains experience or impresses an employer by doing nothing.