Be Intentional

By: Rebekah Beachum

As I go into the summer, most often I think of how I can't believe the year is over, how time flies, and how wonderful it is to be free to spend time however I wish. The past few weeks, I've been hearing a lot about living "missionally" and having a purpose to all aspects of your life. I think this includes summertime. As much as I'm so excited to graduate, it's not a time to stop pursuing what's most important just because summer arrives. The following is a short list of some of the things you could do to be intentional with your career during the summer.

Make a plan.
Include a schedule of your time and place dates of major events in your field, job or internship deadlines, and family events. If you're looking for employment, map out areas to look into each week and be consistent with applying and handing out your resume: the more people that have it can't hurt your chances.


Develop hobbies.
Continue to find things that interest you that will build up your experience and resume for the future. If you join up with other people, you may uncover more contacts in your area.

Relax.
The weather is nice. Take time to relax and recover from the stress of the year. Plan specific times to chill out even more throughout the summer so you don't feel like you're still in school mode.

Evaluate.
Sometimes you just need to spend time honestly looking at your skills and strengths or areas to grow. What could you improve on? What is something that you do really well that you could emphasize in the future?

Don't give up!
Sending out your resume and applying for jobs repeatedly can be tiring, especially with results below expectations. Patience and persistence are key to success. What is meant to happen will happen: just give it time.