With the EOC, CAOC, and a host of job fairs rolling through and applications opening up, there’s no denying that job/internship hunting season is in full swing.
It seems that everywhere you turn on campus, you can see the polished professionals in their pencil skirts and perfectly cut blazers, their resumes printed in gold ink calligraphy on satin paper, their hair in perfectly smoothed buns. They’re the ones who have been chanting their elevator pitches in their sleep, spending every dime of their printing quota on 1,000 different resume drafts, and who have been dreaming of the perfect job since…well, forever.
But in reality, most of us are just thrown into this whirlwind of sweaty crowded gymnasiums for these job fairs, left to word-vomit our elevator pitches at employers while meekly handing over the resume that we hadn’t bothered to revise since we applied to college.
Job searching isn’t an easy or stress-free process for any of us. However, as a Career Peer Mentor at the Carnegie Mellon CPDC (Career and Professional Development Center), I have spoken with enough students about their own worries, anxieties, and questions about the job and internship search.
This list is my own take on what to do before, during, and after job fair season to be successful in your job search, prepare for your future, or at least survive this stressful time.
Before:
1. Create a timeline
Before you begin your job search, the best place to start is getting organized. Figure out what kind of opportunity you’re interested in, whether it’s a job, an internship, research, etc. Find out what companies may have what you’re looking for and when applications open up. Sketch out a simple timeline of when to apply, when job fairs are on campus, when you should expect to hear back from companies, and when you should start solidifying your plans. Seeing when everything needs to happen will allow you to fill in the blanks for what needs to be done, such as writing or reviewing your resume, preparing for interviews, looking for apartments, and so on.
Student tip: Some job applications open and close way earlier or way later than others. You may want to keep a list of all the exact dates for the companies you’re really interested in, or keep separate categories of time frames (early, middle, and late applications, for example) and divide up your application list that way so that you don’t miss out on any opportunities.
2. Do your research
Know the companies you want to work for. Want to work for Facebook? You should probably know more about them than the fact that it’s the best way to check out what your crush is up to. Find out the positions available to you. Do they have internships for underclassmen? What are their required qualifications? What is the job environment like? As a company, what are their values? Finding out the more in-depth details of the company you’re interested in will not only let you know if you’re a good fit; it will also look great when you can show their recruiters that you know a bit of the company’s background. It shows you’re genuinely interested, which is something that will make you stand out!
Student tip: Keep a spreadsheet of companies you may be interested. List a couple categories of interest (i.e. location, current projects, positions available, etc.) and fill them out as you go. You don’t have to spend hours researching or write a ton; just take a couple notes here and there so that when you start applying, you’ll have a sort of “road map” of where to go.
3. Refine your resume
Whether you’re applying to flip burgers for McDonald’s or work with McDonald’s corporate side, you’re going to need a resume. To be more specific, you’ll need a current and relevant resume. You may need to start from scratch or just make some minor changes, but a professional-looking and well-organized resume can make or break you. A resume won’t get you a job, necessarily, but it will certainly open a door for an interview. Remember, a resume is essentially your own personal advertisement. If a company gets a ton of applications to sort through, you’re only as good as your resume shows you are. Even if you think your resume is good enough for now, don’t forget to update it as you go. You can always find small things to fix, new material to add, and improvements to make.
CPDC tip: Your career counselor is professionally trained to review your resume! If you need any help or have any questions, you can make an appointment on TartanTrak or stop by the CPDC every weekday from 1-4 pm for 15-minute resume review drop-in hours.
During:
4. Practice your interview skills
Interviewing can be a daunting task even for the most confident job-seekers. Talking yourself up to an employer isn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, and it takes some practice to get used to. But keep in mind, practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect; practice makes permanent. Any fidgeting habits, “um’s”, “like’s”, or “uh’s”, and eye contact avoidance will likely go unnoticed if you only practice your interviewing alone. So try it out with a friend, family member, or a career counselor. Run through some practice questions and ask them to point out not only issues with your answers, but also any potential problems with your habits or appearance. It may feel silly at first, but it will be better to feel silly in front of a friend rather than an employer.
CPDC tip: If you feel too self-conscious practicing an interview with a friend or if you just want to get in some extra practice and see for yourself, try the Impress Mock Interview module! This module will let you run through a mock interview on your computer and record it on a webcam. The program has both general and industry-specific interview questions that it will generate for you and when you’re finished, you can watch it back and judge for yourself! For more information, you can log into TartanTrak or go to cmu.edu/career/tartantrak/impress
5. Make a back-up plan
Of course, if you’re putting a ton of effort and work into preparing for job fairs and applying for internships, you would hope that you’ll get what you want out of it. The reality is, though, that not everyone can get their dream job, internship, or opportunity, so it’s always a good idea to stride forth with confidence, but have a back-up plan just in case your first choice (or second or third) falls through. There are a ton of great opportunities outside of jobs and internships that are out there. Maybe you want to take some summer classes so you can get a minor or even a double major. Maybe you want to take a part time job back home so you can save up some money. Maybe you want to travel. The possibilities are endless so don’t give up on doing something significant and exciting this summer!
Student tip: It may be a good idea to look into a summer opportunity that will not only help you bide your time, but will also bulk up your resume. Volunteering, research, and personal projects are great ways to do what you want with your time while improving your chances of picking up a job or internship for next summer!
After:
6. Keep up the job search momentum
Just because the EOC ends doesn’t mean your job search is over. Many companies have applications open for a good while after that, some even with last-minute applications open until the start of summer. So don’t slack off after the job fairs are over! Keep up the motivation and post-EOC energy-high to continue working on your resume, elevator pitches, cover letters, and interviewing skills. Job fairs are a great way to practice networking and talk to recruiters, but they aren’t the end-all, be-all. Continue searching for jobs and internships because you still have plenty of time!
CPDC tip: CMU offers a ton of resources for job searches. In addition to the well-known TartanTrak website, CMU offers some free job search-engines, such as Vault, Glassdoor, and Hoovers (which can be accessed through the CMU Library website). You can also sign up for Tartan Talks and Take a Tartan to Work, which are networking/career information programs that the CPDC offers. You can find out more information about all of these resources at cmu.edu/career
7. Make yourself better!
Whether you end up getting a job or not this summer, when all the chaos of the job search subsides, focus on making yourself better! It can only help in the future when job hunting season rolls around again. Take the time to identify the skills you have, the skills you’d like to improve upon, and the skills you’d like to possess. Then focus on improving what you have, and gaining in areas that aren’t as strong as others. If you’re lacking in quantifiable skills, then consider learning a language (foreign or coding). If you want to bulk up on experience (and extra cash), maybe you should try to find a low-key part time job at home. If you want research or a relevant project to show off, apply for SURG/SURF and complete a really cool, personal project. If you want to increase your community experience or you want to feel like you’re making a difference, volunteer somewhere local. There’s a ton you can do, and you can do it both for your resume and for yourself. Wherever you end up after the job hunt, start making the most of it now.
CPDC tip: Want to get a better idea of your skills, strengths, and weaknesses? Consider making an appointment with your career counselor! Not only can they discuss it with you and set you on the right path, but they can also send you the link to take the MBTI or the Strong Inventory Tests for free and help you interpret the results.
Photo Source: http://www.vnews.com/news/nation/world/8480621-95/women-regain-jobs-lost-to-recession
Photo Caption: something funny to match the girl’s pained face, along the lines of, “Oh god, how am I going to survive job fair season?”