50 best colleges for African Americans: a solid education, matched with the right opportunities, creates successful collegians: here are some strategies students should employ as they move from the college campus to the corner office and beyond

Black Enterprise, Oct, 2004 by Tanisha A. Sykes

Travel abroad. Whenever you visit another country, you get to sample the sights and sounds of a different, culture. "This is first hand experience that you can't get from a book," says Carter, who traveled to Spain while in college. Traveling will also open you up to new opportunities such as volunteering at a foreign mission after leaving college.

Take a research position or conduct an independent study. In academia, you gain access to a plethora of brilliant minds. Take an interest not only in what professors are teaching but also in what they're studying. Often, those trying to achieve tenure are required to conduct research, write papers, and become published. This may serve as an excellent opportunity to volunteer as an assistant or to ask you r professor to let you handle specific research you can convert into an independent study project.

Sign up for a leadership role in an organization. Now that you've joined a few groups on campus, it's time for you to play a bigger role. Run for student government president or seek out other leadership roles. Keep in mind that effective time management is a must. The rewards are limitless: You get to attend conferences, write speeches, participate in panels, and make executive decisions. "Getting involved in various professional associations allows you to connect upward with deans and alumni," says John Mixon, vice president and client service consultant at Atlanta-based Right Management Consultants. "You have to look at everyone as an opportunity."

Build your resume. Your resume is a vehicle to showcase skills relative to the position for which you are applying, your coursework, and it provides a mission statement of what you expect to accomplish. When developing your resume, make sure it's "free of spelling and grammatical errors, eliminate abbreviations, and do not overinflate accomplishments," says Smith. Create a general resume that highlights skills and experiences as well as one tailored to specific career goals.

Tighten your interviewing skills. First impressions are lasting ones. Preparing for an interview is a detailed process. "Research the organization [and] its vision and values," says Kim Wells of Howard University Career Services. "You want to identify organizations that have a perfect place for you, so look at reference guides and resources." Visit sites like www.salary.com for figures and read Job Interviews Made Easy by Jan Bailey Mattia (McGraw Hill; $7.44).

Wear appropriate dress to the Interview. "Wearing pants down to your knees may be stylish, but it's not professional," says Mixon. '"Being well-groomed is [extremely important] because wherever you are, people are making a judgment [about you], without even talking to you."

About a month ago, Leon Massey received his diploma from Florida A&M University, and has just started working at Lockheed Martin Corp., the $31.8 billion aeronautics juggernaut. Having been recruited by INROADS right out of high school, Massey gained an edge over most of his competition. The 23-year-old notes, however, that "it's up to the INROADer to be able to successfully pass, know how to mingle and have a balance."