College seniors deal with more challenges today than in the past. Between finishing up your courses and searching for positions, it’s easy to lose sight of your end goal of getting a great job once you graduate. There are several things you can do to prepare yourself for the search as you finish up your last few classes.

Get Your Finances in Order

It’s common for the job search to take several weeks or even months after graduation, even if you start right away as soon as the cap and gown are put away. In the meantime, you will need some source of income to live on, even if it’s working part-time in the short-term. Even if you return to live with your parents, it’s still important to make sure your own finances are in order. For new graduates, one of the biggest expenses tends to be student loan repayments, which tend to be a bit of a shock after finishing school. 

Refinancing your debt could save you money on interest over the life of the loan. Still, recent grads don’t always have enough good credit built up to qualify. Every lender does a credit check to determine if you qualify for a better deal than you currently have. Still, that doesn’t mean you need to wait months or years to build up good credit. You might use federal programs or have a cosigner to make things easier. If you are thinking about refinancing after graduation, you can look over a guide that will tell you everything you need to know.

Clean Up Your Online Presence

Spend some time going through your social media profiles and deleting any photos or statuses that could be offensive. Whether it’s a picture of you at a party or a status complaining about school, be careful in how much information you leave public. Many companies do internet searches on potential candidates, and they could reject your application if they don’t like what they see about you online. 

Consider setting your personal profiles to private and leaving ones on professional social networking sites public. Your public profiles should highlight your academic and professional accomplishments. Consider setting up a blog relevant to the industry you want to work in. This is especially important if you want to get into something creative, such as digital media, writing, or communications. 

Set Up a Few Professional References

While a cover letter and resume are required for many positions, it’s easy to overlook professional references. Often, it will be required to submit this as part of your application. Other times, a recruiter who is interested in your application will ask you to send some references so they can check them before an interview is offered. 

References could be supervisors, managers, or professors. These should be those who will speak highly of your work ethic and skills. Make sure you ask potential references if they would be willing to do so before you list them on your resume. It’s also important to pick references based on the job you are applying for.