While you're at the beach the person who's going to land your dream job is already preparing for next summer. 

Thankfully you don't need to give up the beach to get your dream job.

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In my last two years of college I signed offers before October, giving me 7 months each year to relax and focus on things I was more interested in than job hunting (including helping friends prep for their interviews and hanging at the beach of course). Landing an internship/full-time job before fall semester ends will give you more options, let you have more fun, and greatly reduces your stress.

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I want to help you hit the ground running so when things get busy, you’ll make the most of your opportunities, reach your goals, and still have plenty of time to do what you love. Outlining a strategy like the one below can make all the difference. Start with three easy steps:

1. Make a list

Start with a list of companies in the fields you’re interested in. [WARNING: lists can be incredibly useful tools OR a great way to get nothing done and feel bad about yourself...] Don't make an endless list. Narrow it by-

A) Company -if the company doesn't look cool to you, don't write it down!
B) Location -do they recruit at your school and where do you want to work?
C) Role -do they offer positions you're qualified for/interested in?

After that, make a list of upcoming recruiting events. Look on your school's career center's website (these are usually awesome resources) for career fairs and company info sessions and add to your list. 

From here, rank your top choices and keep an updated spreadsheet with your preferences as you learn more about each. Do yourself a favor and don't write down every single company you find interesting- be honest about how much time you want to put into recruiting and prioritize your options so that you don’t become overwhelmed but also have enough options to leverage later on.

2. Check it twice

Be organized and free up your time by prioritizing your top options. I skipped multiple career fairs and info sessions simply because I didn't feel like going. This was strategic- not reckless, as I always knew what other events were around the corner. Every decision I made on which events I went to was calculated and prioritized and only possible because I was organized and knew what was happening. At the same time, I made sure to always have an informational phone call, recruiting event, or interview in the pipeline. 

Showing up just to say you did is a waste of your time. Don’t try to do everything because unless you’re the Energizer Bunny, you’ll burn out at some point (and even if you don’t, you still won’t have as much fun). I highly recommend using some type of calendar to track upcoming events. Get in the habit of checking/updating it frequently to see when the most important events and deadlines are to make sure you’re prepared for them.

3. Find out who's naughty and nice
Okay I'll stop with the Santa references...

But keeping track of who you’ve met with once you start going to recruiting events is incredibly important. Taking strategic notes after info sessions or career fairs can be one of the biggest ways to stand out from other applicants. I talk in more detail on how to make recruiting events less awkward, but for the planning phase just think about the questions you want answered at the event. The better you focus your questions around insights you want to gain, the more you will narrow down your list and be prepared for future interactions (i.e. interviews!). Here's some inspiration of how to start.

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This may seem like basic recruiting prep but by creating a schedule and staying ahead of your calendar you will give yourself more options. This will help you get an edge on those that aren't in the loop and hear about opportunities after they’ve already passed. 

This is how you start to get your edge.