One of the most important people in your life during your education is your career adviser — if you make the most out of the relationship. Career advisers are there to serve students’ needs and help guide them to a professional level. This is a different role than your instructors in many ways. Sure, the professional experience your teachers have will benefit you in your career. But without your adviser, you might not be able to connect with local employers. What’s more, you might not get the right advice to make sure you make a good impression when you job hunt.

As soon as you enroll in a career college program, be sure to set up a meeting with your career adviser. Many schools will have you speak with one as you get started. These might be check-ins that happen on a schedule dictated by the school. If you aren’t sure, then ask when you enroll. This will get you in a mindset that you should maintain throughout your program. When you meet with the adviser for the first time, ask how often you should meet to discuss your next professional steps. This will be especially important toward the end of your program. Your career adviser will be the one who reviews your first resume and gives you specific interview tips for making a great impression on the people you’ll interview with.

When you meet with your adviser, come equipped with four or five questions you feel are important to ask. If you aren’t sure where to start, always begin by asking what the current job landscape looks like in your area for graduates. Ask which employers are still hiring or if new opportunities are popping up. You might also ask if there are other ways you can use your skills in other professions, in case there are more opportunities than you think.

Look for opportunities to network. This can happen through your adviser’s office, if they notify students about events that happen for professionals locally. Otherwise, why not take the initiative to do your own legwork? Nothing is stopping you from researching job listings, reviews of prospective employers, and seeking out events where you can network with professionals or students who share your career aspirations.

If you’re reading this, and you’re already enrolled in one of our partner school career training programs, good for you! Be sure you download our mobile app, if you haven’t already. If you just stumbled upon this article while researching career college scholarship opportunities, you came to the right place! Use our resources to find career colleges in your area. Then apply for our scholarships worth up to $1,000 for qualifying students.

Looking for somewhere to go next? Check out our stop-by-stop (and very easy to follow) Road Map to Student Success. We’re confident you’ll find it very helpful in guiding you along one of the most important journeys you’ll ever take — the one that leads toward your career.