Launching an Internship & Job Search

Effective Internship & Job Search Strategies: An Overview

The job search process begins with knowing yourself and what you hope to achieve after graduation.  At the Career Design Center we have a variety of resources to help you determine your career goals and to facilitate the process of learning about yourself.  Below you will find links and resources to help you get started.  

Step 1 – Conduct a self-assessment and identify:

 

• Research careers that meet your interests, skills, experience, strengths, and values 
  • Take a free career assessment on Focus2!
  • Research with What Can I Do With This Major?

Step 2 – Explore your career options:

 

• Utilize the Career Design Center Virtual Resources
  • Firsthand provides in-depth intelligence on what it's really like to work in an industry, company or profession—and how to position yourself to land that job. Take advantage of your FREE access:
  • Career Advisor Network is a free online platform that connects alumni with current students and other alumni for one-on-one conversations about careers, job search, networking, and more!
  • CareerShift helps job seekers successfully navigate the published and hidden job market to find career opportunities. Employers are vetted by CareerShift for authenticity to ensure you have the best employer pool to conduct your job and career research.
  • O-net  contains hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors on almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy.
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook provides information about the nature of work, working conditions, training and education, earnings, and job outlook for 1,000+ different occupations in the United States.
• Research careers that meet your interests, skills, and values. Conduct informational interviews and start networking through LinkedIn and the Career Advisor Network.
• Obtain career-related experience through related employment, related volunteer work, internships, pre-professional organizations

• Meet with a career coach. Visit the Career Design Event Calendar for information about how to connect with our team.

Step 3 – Set your career goals:

 

• Clarify and be able to articulate what kind(s) of position(s) you prefer, what kind of organization you would like to work in and where you want to be geographically
• Determine if additional education is needed to meet your goals
• Develop your job search plan and consider devising back-up strategies

Step 4 – Develop and conduct your internships or job search campaign:

 

• Have your resume and cover letter critiqued
• Contact the Career Design Center to participate in a mock interview
• Join professional organizations and community groups
• Think like an employer in your field and ask yourself, “How do they meet their hiring needs?”
• Network with family, friends, professors, past employers, and neighbors
• Research organizations in your field
• Utilize the Career Design Center web site for job listings on Handshake.
• Send resumes and cover letters to target employers
• Attend job fairs and participate in recruiting events
• Interview with organizations of interest to you and send thank you notes
• Consider a temporary assignment or contract work Consider “stepping-stone” jobs
• Consider graduate school or additional training in your field
• Track your activity carefully

Step 5 – Evaluate and Negotiate Your Offers:

Introductory Resources

• Big Interview - an introduction to negotiation:
  • Login (or register if it is your first time visiting Big Interview)
  • Select the Learn option from the main menu
  • Select Negotiation Curriculum
  • Select Negotiation Basics
  • Watch "How Negotiation Works"
• Work Smart & Start Smart: Salary Negotiation - register to take a free self-guided online course on salary negotiation from The American Association of University Women (AAUW) 

Additional Resources for Salary Research

• Indeed
• Salary Expert
• Salary.com
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 

Search for jobs by major, location, and demographics. Consider alternative programs such as gap years and volunteer programs.

  Search FOR Local, State, Federal Government OPPortunities

  Search By Location

  search for part-time & summer at Student employment service

Other Internship & Job Search Websites