Anyone who goes to college intends to find a great job after graduation.
So, securing a job or internship each summer while on break could be one of the biggest contributors to landing this dream job (or close to it) right out of college. Employers love that as a student fresh out of college, you’ll have some previous real-world experience that allows you to jump right in and participate. If you’re looking for a summer job right now, here are some practical things you can do to help secure one of these positions.
Get your resume ready.
If you’re in one of your first years of college, you may not have written a professional resume yet. If not, utilize your university’s career services and put together a document that showcases what you have already experienced. You can draw attention to what skills you’ve gained and what classes you’ve taken or papers you’ve written. Focus the resume on the kind of job you’re hoping to land. For example, if you are a science major and would like to work in a local museum, highlight any history or related science courses you’ve completed that will help you add to the museum’s programming or educational pursuits.
Start looking early.
Think about it, you won’t be the only student out there looking for summer employment, so start pursuing employers as soon as you know your summer plans. Paid internships at really popular companies get scooped up right away, so you want to get in early and with a strong presentation (like that tailored resume and cover letter). You can start as early as possible, but at least at the beginning of your spring semester to be competitive. What this also does is show employers you’re driven and care enough to take the initiative to pursue opportunities early.
Ask your current university contacts.
If you’re only a few years into your major, you may not have relationships with many people in your industry. On the other hand, you likely have some good connections with professors and advisors involved in teaching about your industry. Sit down with them and tell them about your desire to have a summer job in your major. Ask them if there is anyone you could reach out to about working for them this summer.
Network online.
Ever since we could use the internet for job searches, it’s provided an endless source of people to connect with about a job. Think again about the perfect job in your industry—the one you’d love to land once you have your degree. Then, find a similar job listed as an open posting and note what company is hiring for that position. Once you find that, use LinkedIn or another social media platform to reach out to a few key players in that company. Tell an honest and interesting story about how you chose your major and how you’re looking for a summer position that will give you some practical experience. Perhaps a few openings will pop up using this strategy.
If no luck, create your own summer job.
Just like using the idea of reaching out to key players for companies in your industry, you can use this same process to perhaps create a job that doesn’t even exist. Find a similar job opening at another company for a summer internship and then reach out to companies in your area offering to do the same kind of job. You can get creative and send a video explaining what you can offer them for the summer and why they should hire you. Keep in mind the pay for any of these types of jobs can vary widely from being unpaid to something comparable to a regular hourly position with the company.
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