Reading 8 Different College Experiences and Different Job Opportunities Bill, a recent graduate still on the job market looking to find his first job with a finance degree, admitted recently that he already regretted that he did not put more of an effort into his college education. ... He admits cutting corners on projects and avoided leadership opportunities. While he graduated with decent grades, he finds it difficult showing employers he really does have the skills and qualities they seek. An accounting major, Nancy in many ways is the opposite of Bill. She was a great leader and multitasker. Through her college experience, she was able to show that she has the skills and qualities employers seek. Let ’ s look at the top lessons students should learn in college that will make them attractive to employers. One of the best classes you can take in college is a public speaking class. Too many students avoid making presentations while in college, and yet most will need to do so on the job. Get in the habit of feeling comfortable speaking before a group. Look for opportunities in college to learn how to put on an interesting presentation and further improve it with audio-visuals. Writing well is one of those skills that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Learning how to write — and not just to write, but also the process of writing — is a skill that will help you get jobs and get promoted into better jobs. Some students prefer working alone on projects. The best students learn how to motivate their other team members. The reality of the workplace is that employers use all sorts of teams and these employers seek to hire college graduates who have experience working in — and leading — teams. Ever notice that some of the busiest students are also among some of the best students? The ability to deal with multiple tasks and projects with multiple deadlines is a top skill employers seek, thus one of the most important self-improvement activities you can undertake in college is learning how to manage your time effectively. Employers want new hires who can assess a situation, seek multiple perspectives, gather more information if necessary, and identify key issues that need to be solved. You need to know how to find and evaluate the most up-to-date information. No place is better than college for teaching you these skills because various research tasks are central to the curriculum at most colleges and universities. The good skills and habits you develop in college can go a long way to not only improving your grades and personal satisfaction in college, but also providing a big edge over other job-seekers who have not developed some of these key skills and qualities.