Start the Semester Off Right: 5 Steps for Conducting a Successful Spring Internship/Job Search

As Meredith Reinhardt highlighted in her previous blog, winter break is a valuable time to update your resume and find job opportunities.  However, as it quickly comes to a close, it is important to remember that the internship and job search is a process.  What does this mean for your job/internship search?

1      Do not become fixated on one opportunity Keep searching for multiple positions of interest to improve your options and chance of finding a position well suited for you interests, values, and skills.  REMEMBER: THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES IN THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAXIMIZE YOUR OPTIONS!

2       Schedule time in your calendar to regularly search for jobs, track application deadlines, and submit applications.  As a new semester begins and courses resume, it is easy to say, I will work on job applications later…. Only to find that the deadline already passed for your top choice job. Make the job search a part of your daily schedule without procrastinating from school work!

3       Customize your applications- Focus on the quality of applications and include company specific information rather than sending out massive amounts of generic resumes.  While this will most likely increase the time that you spend on an application, it will also increase your chance of being granted an interview. Like most of us, employers want to feel special!

.        Stay organized- Utilize desktop folders and Excel spreadsheets to keep track of job openings and the status of your job applications.  When employers contact you to schedule interviews, it is important to be able to access job descriptions and position details for each of your applications. As a result, you will be able to accurately express your interest in the position.

5      Be aware of upcoming career events- Much like preparing for an exam, during the job/internship search it is necessary to do your homework about companies and practice interviewing techniques prior to a career fair or on-campus interview. For instance, the Reverse Career Fair will be taking place on February 12^th (5-7PM) and the Workforce Career Fair (4-7PM in the AMU) is also quickly approaching on February 21, 2012. Begin researching about companies of interest that will be at Workforce through MU Career Manager.  Start the semester off on the right foot, schedule a resume/cover letter critique or practice interview today by calling the MU Career Service Center at (414) 288-7423.