A few months ago, President Obama published an article on LinkedIn about why his first job mattered. In the article, he describes his experience scooping ice cream when he was a teenager. He says, “My first summer job wasn’t exactly glamorous, but it taught me some valuable lessons. Responsibility. Hard work. Balancing a job with friends, family, and school.” I completely agree with that position, and I think you can learn those same lessons with any job you hold, whether it’s a summer job or a part-time job during the school year. But I think that if you are thoughtful about both the jobs you choose and the way you work at those jobs, you can gain a lot more. (Read more)

An important part of preparing for the job search is to create a list of references. You will not typically be asked to provide references when you apply for a job, but you will probably be asked for them if you are a finalist for the position. You need to have thought carefully about the people you can ask to serve as references and have your list prepared well before you actually need it. (Read more)