As the semester winds down and people’s schedules free up, we get a lot of students asking what they can do over winter break to stay productive for their internship or job search. Here are some of our common suggestions:

• Relax
  • You just completed a busy Fall semester — take some time for yourself to rest and relax! The reality is, there’s probably not a ton of applications to apply to or things you really need to be doing over the holidays and new year. Most companies also have staff taking vacations and spending time with family.
• Research
  • Since there’s not always a ton of things to apply to right now, think about ways you can help yourself in the future. Starting to familiarize yourself with job boards, companies of interest, internship/job titles to search for, can be a great, at-your-own-pace activity. Our Industry Communities are a great starting point to identify common resources or get additional background on a field of interest. You might even notice that a friend or classmate has an experience to share. Even if there aren’t always things to apply to, you can save search criteria on Handshake or follow employers to stay up-to-date when they post or host an event.

• Reflect
  • Now that you have a chance to catch your breath, think about all the things you accomplished this past semester. There may be some that you want to share in your resume or LinkedIn profile. If you were particularly involved with something on-campus, could be a good time to go back to your resume and update your descriptions. We have lots of examples and tips to help make your resume stand out.
• Reconnect
  • This could just be an extension of how you relax — hang out with friends or take time to reconnect with your family members. If you wanted to feel productive while also taking time to yourself, have a conversation about your future goals or an area of interest. Maintaining these relationships can always be an extension of networking and your friends and family might have interesting perspectives or be a valuable resource for you.

Even if you don’t do anything specific to your job or internship, a restful and relaxing break is still productive in it’s own way. Have a great break!