I met a waitress last night who was so excited to be entering the last year of her online degree program. I was excited for her but also concerned when she said, "I guess I'll be looking for a job in my field this time next year.

I encouraged her to look NOW. Any student in a degree program at any college should be looking for professional opportunities the entire time they are in college.

Part time jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities while in college can blossom into full time professional jobs at graduation. To maximize success, college students should choose part time jobs and other experiential opportunities strategically.

A college degree program should be a two or four year job search. Students can put themselves in a position for maximum success by knowing their major when they enter college and making all decisions around the goal of entering professional employment at graduation. Even relationships with fellow students, professors and campus personnel are conduits to jobs later. Knowing that fact, students should perform in college the way they plan to perform on the job. That means being on time to class, turning in their best work and being a dependable and highly skilled classmate and campus volunteer.

Students who are going to college online, can maximize success by establishing good working relationships with faculty and fellow students in their work groups and doing their best work. Both on and off campus students should take full advantage of campus job development and placement services.