The end of the semester is rapidly approaching! If you haven’t already secured a job or internship for this upcoming summer, it may seem like a near impossible feat. However, the University of Illinois offers a tremendous array of free resources designed to help you with your search! If you take advantage of one or all of these ten resources, you’ll be in ship-shape for landing the internship or job of your dreams!
1. Resume Reviews
Your resume is your first and best shot at making a good impression with a potential employer! Crafting your resume may seem straightforward, but depending on the type of position you are applying for you may want to tailor its content and appearance. The Career Center at Illinois offers free resume reviews at countless different places and times. Make sure to talk to a resume pro and get awesome feedback before you submit your resume! Find a complete list of resume drop-in hours here: http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/service/resume-reviews
2. Cover Letter Reviews
Most job applications require a cover letter, or an overview of why you want the position and why you are qualified. Make sure to wow the hiring committee at the company you apply to by showing them just how awesome you are! Just like resume reviews, the Career Center offers free cover letter reviews with no appointment necessary! A list of drop-in hours can be found here: http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/service/cover-letter-reviews
3. LinkedIn Reviews
Did you know that the majority of people get jobs from connections to people they know? LinkedIn is an amazing professional networking site that every college student should be using to build their network. Spruce up your LinkedIn profile by visiting one of the Career Center’s drop-in hours, which can be found here: http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/service/linkedin-profile-reviews
4. Career Fairs
The University of Illinois hosts an enormous amount of career fairs. Whether you want to attend a general career fair, one specifically for internships, or one specifically for your field or major, there’s something for everyone!
5.Mock Interviews
Make sure to ace that interview—the most important part of getting hired! Get out any jitters you might have about being interviewed by practicing during a mock-interview! The Career Center will even record your interview so you can re-watch it to make improvements. Schedule an hour-long interview and feedback session here: http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/service/mock-interviews
6. i-Link
i-Link is a headquarters of job postings from companies that are specifically in search of Illinois students! Simply upload your resume and create a profile, then search through thousands of different job listings. You can also make your job hunt easier by narrowing your search according to job type, amount of hours, and location. Visit i-Link here: https://i-link-illinois-csm.symplicity.com/
7. Lunch & Learns
Lunch & Learns are brief workshops held by a variety of different programs and departments to help you grow and develop as a student and a professional. There are many of these types of events that provide information about job hunting, so be sure to keep an eye out for these.
8. Illinois Virtual Job Board
The Illinois Virtual Job Board is home to a trove of different jobs and internships that are available at the University of Illinois. If you are planning on staying on campus over the summer, this is a great tool to use to help you find employment. Bonus: many jobs may carry over to the school year as well! Visit the Illinois Virtual Job Board here: https://secure.osfa.illinois.edu/vjb/
9. Career Coaches
If you have no idea where to begin your job or internship hunt or just need some general advice about your professional path, talk to a career professional at the Career Center by scheduling an appointment here: http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/service/career-coaching
10. College Career Services
Most individual colleges have their very own career service offices that are better prepared to help students in your specific college and major. They offer many different resources to help you, so take a look at the complete list of career service offices here: http://hireillini.com/find-a-career-office/
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