How you can prepare now so you have a job come April
A note from Lauren, founder of TalentEgg: We've been noticing that recently a lot of companies have been sending us their summer internships. Many people already know that summer and intern jobs tend to get posted around this time, but what's less known is that most deadlines fall at the end of this month. So, if you're interested in getting a summer job or internship, now is the time to apply!
Many students don't realize that getting a job for the summer (or in the case of upcoming grads, their first "real job") means preparing months in advance.
Ideally, you should have already started your job hunt by now, but if you haven't, here are some tips to help you kick-start the process.
Start looking
You can't get a job if you don't start looking because most of us aren't lucky enough to have jobs fall into our laps. There are all kinds of ways you can search for a job, including through your school's career services centre and recruitment events, and websites that focus on entry-level positions, like TalentEgg.
Prep your résumé
No matter where you're applying, you will need to create a unique résumé and cover letter for each job.
The hiring manager will know what a generic résumé (or application email) looks like; they have undoubtedly received them in the past and other not-so-savvy applicants will use them in the future. This is one of the many pet peeves for recruiters.
In order to make your application stand out, ensure your résumé is catered specifically to the company you are applying to by using language found in the job description and on the company website to assist you.
It may also be worthwhile to try different résumé types, such as a Career Launching Résumé, or an achievement-based résumé. Once you've got a draft written, make sure it goes through a couple of edits by yourself, friends, family, and professionals, if you have the resources to do so.
Write a cover letter
All applications need a cover letter, whether they state it or not. If you do not submit a cover letter with your application, your résumé will likely end up in the trash. Just like your résumé, make sure you edit, edit, edit!
Check your digital footprint
Almost everyone leaves some kind of digital footprint due to all of the social networking sites available, and this can be detrimental to your job hunt if you aren't careful.
If you search my name on Google, it shows up 3.3 million times. Of course, I am not the only Danielle Lorenz in existence. Facebook tells me there are 22 people with the same name as me; however I am the only one who has attended McMaster (at least so far).
Nevertheless, I've taken strides to make sure my Facebook account won't impact my professional life and have done the same with other social networking sites that I use.
Consider utilizing social networking
Although some social networking sites can be detrimental to your job hunt, there are some that may be beneficial. Experts suggest that Twitter can be used to reach target groups.
Other people say that LinkedIn is a site that can help you find a job. LinkedIn functions like a mixture between an online résumé and Facebook, where your contact list contains people who know you and your work ethic.
Keep your family out of your search
In the end, your ability to find a job rests on how much effort YOU put into it. Parents of Gen Y kids have been deemed "helicopter parents" because of their tendency to be over-involved in our lives. Make sure that your parents aren't trying to help you get a job, because in the end it will only be detrimental to your search.
Tagged with
summer job search
| 
Comments
Danielle, while I agree with most of your advice, I am disappointed that you included "Keep your family out of your search" as one of your suggestions. Parents and older siblings are very often a valuable resource when it comes to finding a job. Most companies would rather hire internal employees and applicants who have been referred by a current employee for available positions instead of reading resume after resume and hiring somebody they don't know. For students and recent grads looking for any position, who better to introduce them to the hiring manager than a parent or sibling who already works there?
While I am aware that there exists a lot of pride in finding a job all by yourself, it is way easier and effective to find a job through your own personal network. Students and grads, do NOT shy away from asking family members for help!
I agree with keeping family out, as job search has changed from when they did it and there is no need for someone pushing you into a profession you do not want to be in, only adds pressure to an already frustrating and stressful time.
I however do not agree with the 'unique' resume approach, I work in recruitment, and I HATE unique resumes and having to search for information that should be easily found. The 'unique' resumes are the resumes that are put to the bottom of the pile for when I have time to look for that information. If you want to make an impression and be remembered, follow your resume up with a phone call to call attention to it that way.
In my opinion, the most important thing to remember when trying to secure a summer internship is that it is never too early to start looking. Some employers are on campuses in the fall to recruit interns for the following summer, so, for certain positions, starting your search now may be too late. That said, there are still lots of employers who haven’t started hiring yet, so if you don’t have an internship, don’t get discouraged.
In terms of involving your family in the search, I say go for it! Just make sure that you are driving the search and your family is helping you (and not the other way around). It’s also important to consider that some companies may have policies in place about hiring family members. Some are in favour of this and some are not. A solid referral from someone inside the company can help you stand out. Just make sure that the person you ask to refer you is comfortable making the referral.
Securing a summer internship position can be competitive, and the number of applications recruiters receive from one position can be extremely high. If you don’t have a referral to help you stand out, don’t worry—your resume can do that for you. Make it easy to read and well organized, and don’t forget to highlight the skills and experience that you feel make you ideal for the role.
Leave a Comment
You can use basic HTML tags: i, em, strong, b, u, a, pre
All fields are required.