How to Use Summer to Advance Your Career
College Success Plan’s work doesn’t begin and end with academics. We also help students explore their major and career options, specify a desired professional path, brainstorm avenues for further learning, identify opportunities for development and create a plan for overcoming obstacles. We assist our students in researching majors, minors and careers. We provide individualized direction for resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile creation and refinement. We help students create an action plan to achieve their goals and provide support and reminders along the way. While many students are facing the summer with uncertainty and disappointment, we encourage them to maximize their time to advance and reflect upon their long-term plan!
Do your research
Take the time to explore different professions, career paths and industries! If you have not yet committed to a certain career path, take the time to explore those that interest you. If you have already identified the field you wish to join, learn more about different roles, responsibilities and advancement opportunities located within that industry.
Make a list of contacts. Reach out to family, friends and professional contacts to create a list of people holding positions you’d like to learn more about.
Set up informational interviews - schedule virtual informational interviews if you’re unable to set an in-person meeting. Ask questions about your interviewee’s job responsibilities, education, professional history and goals. Learn more about his or her work environment, the perks and challenges of the work environment, and other jobs of interest within the company.
If possible, schedule a time to observe or tour an office. Consider shadowing an employee for a day. Remember, the people you meet during visits like these are great resources when it comes to future jobs and internships.
Prepare your materials
Take time to polish your resume
Refine and personalize your cover letters
Update your LinkedIn profile
Make sure your social media accounts are appropriate for future employers to see
Reach out to professors or previous employers to ask for letters of recommendation
Create a portfolio
If you are interested in a career field where supplemental application materials are a strength, get started on these!
Begin collecting samples of your best work (artwork, research papers, coding/programming work, news articles, reviews, etc.)
Consider personal projects you could take on that would be impressive to potential employers. Can you create an electronic portfolio, video or slideshow of your work? This can be an easy way to distinguish yourself from other candidates - be creative!
Just because this summer looks and feels different than previous summers does not mean that students must put their plans to further their career on hold. Losing a job or internship is undoubtedly disappointing; however, there are other avenues for progress.
College Success Plan is happy to help students with any or all of these tasks!
We offer summer special package pricing.
www.collegesuccessplan.com
