Fall recruitment season is stressful, whether you’re trying to land your dream internship or a full-time position. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate the stress and pressure of recruitment by knowing how to best prepare and by using the resources available to you on your college campus. Here are a few ways you can prepare and take advantage of the resources at your fingertips:
1. Get Involved on Campus
UIUC has professional organizations on campus for nearly every career. Joining an RSO on campus will give you a chance to build a support system with people who have similar goals, learn more about the industry you want to work in and receive advice that will help you to stand out as a candidate. Many professional organizations have presentations with company representatives that share information about their own work and the industry they work in as a whole, which will help you to be more informed come interview time. RSOs can also provide instruction and give tips on how to develop your resume, present yourself at a career fair and improve interviewing skills. Getting involved on campus also shows recruiters that you can handle both classes and other responsibilities and that you’re curious and willing to learn.
2. Take Advantage of UIUC Career Services
The Career Center here at UIUC has services to help you prepare for every step of the job hunting process. Representatives will look over your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile without an appointment, but career advice and mock interviews will only be provided with a scheduled appointment. Normally, the Career Center is open on Wright Street. This year, all appointments are virtual and can be conducted over the phone or through Zoom. UIUC also has their own recruiting platform called “Handshake” where students can search for jobs, employers and events like career fairs.
3. Look Into On-Campus Internships
UIUC has internships all across campus. Research Park, located at the southwest corner of campus, has over 120 companies in numerous industries, including more than 70 startups. Internships in Research Park cover a wide range of disciplines from technical internships in engineering and data science fields to communication and marketing. Research Park internships are offered year round with flexible work hours during the school year. Each college at UIUC also offers on-campus internships. These opportunities are usually outlined in their weekly newsletter, which many people don’t read, so be sure to check them out! By paying attention to potential opportunities in emails from your college and advisors, you can become more aware of internships that are currently offered on-campus and how to apply to them.
4. Make Friends with Similar Career Goals
Making new friends in classes or RSOs that pertain to your major means you’re building a network, finding people to help you through your difficult classes and getting the inside scoop on how to recruit for your company of choice from people who have worked there before. You can ask your friends who share your future career path to take a look over your resume and cover letter or even do a mock interview with you. Similarly, you’ll have someone to vent to when recruitment gets stressful and friends to celebrate with you when you finally get your dream job!
