With the end of the year right around the corner, I’m pretty sure I’m in the same place as plenty of other collegiettes: What am I going to be doing this summer?
However, I’m actually going to leave summer excursions and pool parties for another blog entry and think more in terms of job/ internship hunting. Besides all the awesome vacation-related activities and relaxation for which I know I can barely wait, I’ve also been thinking about how I use my free time to earn some money or experience relating to the careers I’m thinking about working in after college. So, I thought I would write this blog about my preliminary endeavors in job hunting. It’s possible that some of you already know about the resources I’m about to discuss, but I thought I’d open the floor so that you can share your own strategies and experiences with other collegiettes!
Considering I haven’t been home in a while and probably won’t be until mid-May, I was wondering how I could possibly get a headstart on searching for a job close to home. Some employers provide online applications, which has been convenient. I’ve also emailed organizations and businesses that I’ve worked for before and have received some responses on openings and application information. A summer program that I attended in high school even offered to mail me an application to be a teaching assistant for them this summer now that I’m in college. So far, it hasn’t hurt trying to network using those older connections, especially when there’s still someone there who has a pretty good idea of your abilities.
If you will still be in close promixity to Oxy during the summer, I know that there are on-campus positions that are available to students. For one, there are the Upward Bound Program and Multicultural Summer Institute that both take place during the summer. Looking at the student employment section on the Oxy website, there are also summer office assistant positions needed. I’ve also seen that the Root Digest often posts opportunities available to Oxy students not only on campus, but in the local area. And even though they’re technically unpaid, positions with O-Team and Oxy Engage will pay for your meal plans and living on campus when you have to move in before the year begins. They’ll also provide interpersonal and leadership experience that will be valuable for other jobs and internships.
Since this blog is geared mostly towards Occidental collegiettes, I guess that gives me the go-ahead to talk about the CDC. Considering my personal experiences and testimonies of multiple other people, I can say that the Career Development Center is a very useful resource. You can schedule an appointment for a mock interview, learn how to receive credit for internships, have your cover letter critiqued, and a lot more. Every Thursday, they have scheduled drop-in hours where staff members can review your resume. The CDC has definitely helped me in learning how to professionally sell myself to employers. I’ve met upperclassmen who regret not utilizing the CDC earlier in their college career, so if you haven’t checked it out, it would be a good idea to do so sooner instead of later.
There’s also the Tigerlink network for Occidental students and alumni. After registering for an account, you can create a personal profile and Tigerlink will provide you Search results on job/ internship opportunities that might interest you. You can even apply to the job or internship by uploading your resume through Tigerlink, and the document will be sent to a CDC staff member for approval. The job and internship results that I’ve found on Tigerlink have pertained pretty closely to my interests, so I would recommend it as a reliable job search engine. Another site where I’ve discovered some interesting opportunities both at home and here in Los Angeles is internships.com.
Applying for jobs and internships can be stressful, especially when coupled with those final projects and exams. Although summer work will make a great addition to your resume, make sure to plan more relaxing activities that you’ll deserve after enduring this especially demanding time of the year.
Good luck, everyone!
What are you doing this summer?