Whether you’re a senior going through the recruiting process, a freshman applying for your first internship, or anyone in between, seeing your peers land jobs and internships before you can be disheartening. As a senior putting off full-time job applications, I know the feeling. I’ll be talking about some ways to deal with this and make you feel secure in your own professional development.
1. Acknowledge and accept your professional jealousy
Jealousy is a natural human emotion, especially regarding something as significant as your career. You might be putting in the work to deal with schoolwork, extracurriculars, and a social life, all while networking and applying for jobs. Yet, you may not be hearing back while your friends are getting interviewed and receiving offers. It’s okay to feel envy despite wanting to be happy for them.
2. Turn that jealousy into motivation
Instead of seeing your peers as competition, view them as inspiration. Ask them how they landed their jobs and internships, and keep applying and expanding your network. Viewing the people around you as competition will only build resentment, but maintaining a pessimistic mindset will only hurt you in the long run.
3. Remember that everyone is on their own journey
You and your peers are not the same people, so there is no single timeline for everyone’s career path to follow. Your friends might already have full-time jobs or internships lined up for the summer. However, not having one yet doesn’t mean you are “behind.” It’s also important to keep in mind that we are in a period of low hiring rates, so being qualified doesn’t necessarily guarantee a job.Â
4. Not getting a job/internship is not the end of the world
This gives you time to get to know yourself or develop other skills. Having time between semesters or post-grad allows you to research specific fields or industries you may want to pursue. Envisioning a particular career path not only helps you set goals but also tells you what skills you should develop to appeal to employers. Take advantage of each day to make yourself a stronger candidate by adding to your portfolio, building your own website to display your work and achievements, or earn certificates. You can work on projects for well-known companies on sites like Forage.
5. Network, network, network!
Nowadays, it seems like the only way to get your resumé to the top of the pile is through connections. From career and internship fairs to professional events (e.g., COMMchella) and luncheons, Rutgers offers a plethora of networking opportunities. Print hard copies of your resumé, prepare your elevator pitch, save a QR code that links to your LinkedIn profile on your phone, and — most importantly, as cliché as it is — be authentic. People can tell when you are more interested in what they can do for you than who they are. Focus on building genuine relationships with a few people instead of having one-off conversations with many.
I know uncertainty regarding your professional future is stressful, but you just have to continue doing your best and staying true to yourself. Good luck!