As a college student, preparing for your future and establishing your career can be overwhelming, especially in today’s competitive market. It’s important to plan and prepare throughout your college experience so that you’ll be ready to go by graduation!

To help in your preparation, we asked three hiring managers to share their advice for students interested in internship or entry level positions at CONMED. We spoke to Malav M., Quality Assurance Manager; Joseph A., Senior R&D Engineering Manager; and Will T., Marketing Director, Acess and Instruments. In this three-part blog series, we tackle three common questions college students have:

What do you look for in an intern and/or entry level candidate?
How can an intern or entry level candidate make a great first impression during an interview?
What are some ways that college students can prepare for their future careers while still in college?

There are certain attributes that hiring managers search for in potential candidates In Part Three of the blog series, we ask advice on how college students can prepare for their careers while still in college. Here's what they shared

Part 3: Preparing for Your Career While Still in College

All three hiring managers advise college students to gain as much experience as possible in different fields of work, whether it be through an internship, volunteer work, or any other hands-on training. According to Malav, understanding how corporations and businesses run can really help you shine in an internship or entry-level position. Exploring different industries to figure out what you’re passionate about will also be helpful in the long run. Will suggests networking with family and friends to explore your options.

Joseph highlights that it’s also important for college students to pursue their passions by getting involved and doing extra-curricular activities. Most colleges and universities have clubs and organizations that are related to specific degree programs. Whatever your passion may be, get involved in activities that pertain to that subject. Joseph told us, “Be involved in some way to either contribute or give back. The more you plug in the more you are able to excel”.

Four Ways to Prepare for Your Career in College

1. Join a club or professional association to learn more about your areas of interest or explore different options.

2. Attend Information Sessions hosted by student groups or your school’s Career Services Center.

3. Attend a career fair and talk to employers. Ask them questions about why they like working there and how they started out.

4. Set up an appointment with Career Services to look over your resume and have them provide feedback.

Click HERE to read Part 1 of the blog series
Click HERE to read Part 2 of the blog series

. . .

Join CONMED's Talent Community to learn more about the company and receive job updates when positions open that match your area of interest!