This is the guide I wish someone had handed me on day one. I know how it is when you feel like everyone knows what they are doing and you are just starting to sort things out. I hope this guide is helpful! ;)
Bookmark this page. Come back to it!
Your job this year is to explore.
Not to have everything figured out.
Just...
Explore.
Say yes to things. Say yes to all the opportunities!
Try classes.
Meet people.
Discover what excites you. What you want to advocate for!
Freshman year is your permission to be curious.
✅ Build your LinkedIn
It doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist. Add your school, your major, and anything you've done so far, even if it's just clubs from high school. You'll update it every semester. The point is to start building your professional presence now.
📚 Resources
- Canva Template (for a banner)
- Follow professionals whose careers inspire you!
💜 Ashley Learned This the Hard Way
I didn't create my LinkedIn because I thought I wasn't "accomplished enough."
Turns out...
Nobody starts with an impressive LinkedIn.
The cool part is watching it grow.
Create it now.
Future you will thank you!! I promise.
✅ Build your Resume
It will be a little bit messy. That's fine. Everyone's first resume is. The point is to have one so you can improve it. Write down everything you've done, even if it doesn't feel impressive. You can always cut things later! For tech, aim to keep it at one page.
📚 Resources
- VMock
- Jake's Resume Template
- Your university Career Center
💜 Ashley Learned This the Hard Way
Instead of
Worked on website.
Write
Redesigned over 200 school websites while improving accessibility and maintaining WCAG compliance.
That one change made a much bigger difference than any fancy template ever did. Always use numbers, quantify your impact!!
✅ Join one organization
Pick something that genuinely interests you, not just something that looks good on paper. This is where you'll meet your first college friends and start building a network.
🚫 Common Mistake
Don't join five organizations during your first semester because you think it'll look impressive.
Join one.
Actually show up.
Get to know people.
That's where the magic happens. For me that was the Society of Women Engineers at Florida International University.
✅ Go to Career Fairs
Even as a freshman. You're not there to get a job. You're there to practice. To see what's out there. To learn how to talk about yourself. The first career fair is always awkward, get the awkward one out of the way early! And you might get lucky, I got my first internship as a freshman, with no projects thanks to going to a career fair at a conference.
📚 Before You Go
- Research five companies.
- Print a few resumes.
- Practice a 30-second introduction. Elevator Pitch.
- Bring water.
- Wear comfortable shoes.
Seriously.
Your feet will thank you lol.
Don't measure a career fair by how many recruiters you talked to. Measure it by what you learned.
One conversation can completely change your journey.