It’s Not Too Late To Have a Resume Worthy Summer
How to make the most of your college summer and land your dream job.
By Lindsey Myers
The end of spring semester is the cherry on top of a successful school year. It’s finally warm enough to frolic around in a tank top, outdoor parties and events are plentiful, and everyone is trying to pack in as much activity as possible before campus becomes a summer ghost town. However, balancing your spring social and academic schedules can make even the most organized student a bit overwhelmed. Throw in planning for a resume worthy summer, and your head may just explode.
Summer is a time to relax, reunite with old friends, travel, and pack in hours at work to save money for the upcoming school year. However, in a job market that gets more competitive by the minute, students also need to use their break to develop a strong resume. You only get three college summers, and using them strategically will help you succeed after graduation when dartys and thesis papers are just a thing of the past. If you have nothing but sun bathing and Netflix binges planned from now until September, have no fear! It’s not too late to cultivate a resume worthy summer. Here are some ways to make the next eight weeks something a recruiter will swoon over.
1. Put the “I” in Intern.
The most common way to make your summer count is living that intern life. Depending on your workload and/or the location of your campus, it may not be possible for you to lock down a killer internship during the school year. Landing an internship at a large company with a structured program takes some planning in advance, but there are still tons of intern opportunities out there at this stage in the game. Newflash: the inclination to procrastinate doesn’t magically float out of your body when you throw your cap in the air at the end of graduation. Adults do it too! Look up companies you’re interested in working for and check their websites for job postings. Don’t be afraid to just email over your resume and let them know you’d love to intern with them for the rest of the summer. Oftentimes, companies (especially smaller ones) will be able to create a part time or short term position if they need help and like what they see on your resume.
2. Get Your Hands Dirty.
If your schedule doesn’t allow you to commit to an internship, set up some informational interviews or job shadow days. An informational interview entails finding someone who’s job you’re interested in, and arranging a short, informal meeting to discuss their role. This is a great way to make connections in the filed you’re majoring in, or explore something totally different. You’d be surprised how many people will agree to get coffee with an eager college student! Grab your Harriet the Spy inspired trench coat, dive into LinkedIn, and start sending out messages.
3. Home is Where the Jobs Are.
An important thing to consider when thinking about post grad life is where you want it to take place. If you’ve always fantasized about living in D.C, Jackson Hole, or San Francisco but have never been- go visit! Job searching gets easier when you can narrow it down to a single metro area- so use your free time this summer to pay your potential future home a visit. Hit up the best restaurants and local hot spots, get a feel for what neighborhoods you like, and talk to the people you meet along the way about what life is like there. Circling back to tip number two- take it to the next level and set up some informational interviews to start networking in the city!
4. Keep the Receipts.
When college ends and you’re applying to jobs or further education, the best way to prove your skills is some cold hard evidence. If you have work from classes or internships that you’re proud of, spend some time putting together an online website or portfolio. If there are skills outside of your curriculum that you want to develop and showcase, take matters into your own hands! Start a blog or submit articles to online publications for writing samples, ramp up your social media following, do some independent research, or put together a proposal on how a company can improve an aspect of their business. Presenting a potential employer with some work you did outside of class allows them to see your talent in practice, and shows them that you’re hardworking and a self-starter.
5. Is Eating Taco Bell Four Times a Week a “Special Skill?”
If you’re a rising senior, putting some time into building a killer resume is a smart move. Play with different templates and formatting, and figure out what skills and experience you want to showcase. If possible, have some friends or a professional review it for you. This process often takes longer than you think, and you will feel more zen come fall if you can apply to jobs and internships without having to scramble with your resume.
6. Seeking Bilingual Recent Graduate with Three Years’ Experience.
No matter where you are in your college career, looking at job posting is an extremely helpful exercise. As a senior, I was shocked by some of the requirements of seemingly “entry level” positions. I was also surprised to see that a lot of the job descriptions I was drawn to were different from what I was studying. Taking an hour every now and then to look at job openings on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or any similar website can help you see what skills are most in demand in the market. It can also help you narrow down what you want to study or focus on if you’re still undecided. See what types of positions you’re instinctively drawn to, and what kind of experience they require. You can use this information to plan what you should focus on in your personal development.
Take time to enjoy yourself this summer, but keep in mind that your post-grad future is only a few seasons away! A little hard work now will make your college withdraw a bit less painful come graduation.
