Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Conn Coll chapter.

Now, that we are heading it to our winter break, all we can think about is relaxing and sleeping and binge-watching our next favorite TV series. But college winter breaks are long, and after awhile, you often start to feel like you should be doing something. Well, what about getting ahead on some career prep? Winter break is the perfect time to start finding (and applying for) internships, or exploring what career you want to pursue when you graduate. Here are some easy but productive hacks for starting to thinking about your career over the break:

Make a Targeted To Do List

To do lists are my safety net. When I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed about my workload for a given week, I sit down for fifteen to thirty minutes with my agenda book and decide how I want to split up long term assignments. Although winter and summer breaks are for relaxing so that you can return to school with a refreshed mindset, a particularly long break this year is the perfect opportunity to spend some of your time planning for the summer in terms of pursuing an internship, job, or research opportunity. It is important, though, that you do not overwhelm yourself with a long list of tasks. This is why I recommend sitting down and making a targeted to do list of three to five goals that you hope to meet this break. After you finish finals and treat yourself with your favorite cozy meal, take fifteen to thirty minutes to choose a few career orientated tasks you want to spend an hour or two working on each week during break. This could be taking a new LinkedIn profile photo, connecting with Connecticut College alumni in your field, or sending x amount of resumes to various positions you are interested in pursuing. I have made the mistake of biting off more than I can chew over break and end up returning to school still burned out rather than refreshed. That is why I recommend being intentional with your to do list as self-care is just as important as building your future.

– Elizabeth Berry ‘21

Network with Alumni

With more free time in your day, winter break is the perfect time to initiate informational interviews with people in your network. While you apply for internships, reach out to alums or friends who work at that company, and see if they would be willing to speak with you about their experiences at the company — they may even have tips for completing your application! It’s best to have these conversations before you submit your application, so you can reference insight from these conversations in your cover letters. While alums tend to be helpful, it is always important to communicate with proper etiquette, don’t assume everyone will be willing to hop on a phone call, and express your appreciation.

– Samantha Barth ‘21

Update Your Resume

Did you join a new club this semester? Take some time to add new experience or add new detail to your entries. Think about specific accomplishments your organization has achieved during this semester, and quantify them if possible. Remember the STAR method!

– Samantha Barth ‘21

Research Jobs and Industries You Are Interested In

If you are just starting out and you’re still not sure what you want to do after college, a simple way to start is by researching. Conn’s Hale Career Center has a lot of great resources, especially for exploring different industries, companies, and jobs or internships. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your advisor, explore the career website, or research more about the opportunities they highlight in their emails. (Google can go a long way, too.) Sometimes even if you think a job or industry doesn’t connect with your intended major or the classes you have been taking, you’ll be surprised to discover how versatile some majors are. You can also look up individual companies to learn more about what they do, how they work, and what their values are. Even if it’s more general research, exploring can get spark ideas and may help you discover just what you are looking for!

– Elizabeth Vinson, ’21

Thinking about the future, especially as it relates to careers, can be super overwhelming and scary. We hope with these helpful hacks that you will be able to find manageable ways to jump into preparing for your career!

Elizabeth Berry

Conn Coll '21

Elizabeth Berry is an English and Italian Studies double major at Connecticut College with a passion for journalism. She enjoys overnight oats, traveling to new cities, and reading the night away.
Samantha Barth

Conn Coll '21

Samantha is a senior at Connecticut College, double-majoring in Sociology and Economics. She is currently the Beauty Section Editor and a National Writer for Her Campus, having prior been a Beauty Editorial Intern during the summer of 2019. She is also a writer and Co-Campus Correspondent for Her Campus Conn Coll. She is passionate about intersectional feminism, puns, and sitcoms with strong female leads.
Elizabeth, originally from just outside of Chicago, is a senior graduating early from Connecticut College where she is majoring in English with Psychology and History minors. She has an insatiable appetite for a compelling story and hopes to use that passion to pursue a career in publishing in a big city. If she’s not reading or writing another essay, she is binge-watching a new TV series, scrolling through Pinterest, baking cookies, or hanging out with family and friends.
Her Campus Conn Coll