By Dr. Claire Klieger
It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over but we are so excited to welcome students back to campus! With the start of the semester around the corner, here are six things that you can do now to make the most of the upcoming semester:
1. Update your resume, LinkedIn profile, and Handshake account.
While your summer experiences are fresh in your mind is the ideal time to update your resume. Check out our online resume guide for layout and content tips and strengthen your descriptions with our list of action verbs.
At the same time, since many employers source candidates directly from LinkedIn, you’ll want to be sure that your professional presence is well represented there, too. Here are some quick and easy LinkedIn suggestions for helping students create a strong profile that stands out.
The last thing that you’ll want to refresh is your Handshake account. Go into your profile settings to make sure that it shows your correct class year, major, and the types of roles that you are seeking (internship vs. full-time job). It’s also a good idea to update your “Career Interests” so that Handshake can make the best recommendations and so that you will receive announcements from our office and employers that align with your interests.
2.Stay in the know – sign up for customized Career Services newsletters!
We know, we know. There’s entirely too much email. That’s why our e-newsletters are designed to only bring you the kind of information that you want, how often you want it. See our “Making the Most of Career Services Communications” post for more details.
3. Mark your calendars now for fall employer events and career fairs.
Many employers have been eagerly awaiting the chance to recruit you. As such, starting right at the beginning of the semester, there is a flurry of activity with daily employer information sessions (check out the events calendar in Handshake) and some big career fairs early in the semester:
- CareerLink – Friday, September 10 | 12 pm – 5 pm
- Engineering Career Day – Tuesday, September 14 | 11 am – 4 pm
- Bioscience & Research Fair – Thursday, October 7 | 12 pm – 5 pm
4. Familiarize yourself with the on-campus interviewing process and learn if the organizations that interest you will be participating.
For certain large employers who can predict their hiring needs in advance, they like to engage with students on campus for first round interviews. These roles (for both full-time and internship opportunities) will be posted on Handshake. You should search for them under the “Events” tab and “On-campus Interviews” to filter by industry, company, etc. Dates to note:
- First Possible application deadline is September 12
- First Possible “On-Campus” (all OCI interviews this fall will be virtual) is September 22
5. Reduce stress by understanding hiring timelines.
Let’s face it; with some recruitment activities happening really early, it can make feel like no matter what you do that you’re always “behind.” The truth is that different industries and types of organizations have vastly different hiring timelines. Reviewing our industry reports for full-time and internships can help you plan effectively. Our career advisors can also help you clarify any questions you have the timeframe for your search.
6. Connect with us your way – we’re flexible!
We are always happy to support students as they have questions and prepare for the year ahead. We learned a lot last year and are applying what we hope are the best of those lessons to continue to serve students better, which now means that we have even more options to work with you. Want to have an appointment with us in person in our offices? Great! We are happy to see you. Prefer to log on from the comfort of your room over Zoom? That works for us, too. You decide!
