It’s just about spring break--finally. We’ve survived below-freezing temperatures, clobbering workloads, and near-death midterm weeks. Now here’s the chance bask in some glorious time off from grinding academia and the stresses of being the first-class students we are. But between sleep catch-ups and non-stop fiestas, it never hurts to allot some time off toward your career-finding agenda--whether it means solidifying summer plans or tackling the fateful job hunt. Here’s some ways to mesh your relaxing spring break with some helpful steps forward. They’re not too brain-jarring…I promise!1.Update your resume: As we all know, internship and job application opportunities pop up “anytime anywhere.” So dedicate brief spans of time toward plumping up your resume and tweaking content, organization, and presentation. You never know when the next spontaneous job opening or resume request might be.
2. Discover a favorite job and/or internship site: While curled up in bed engaged in the art of the Facebook stalk, why not turn your mouse toward some career searching? This time off is a great chance to both scour the resources you know and locate fresh sites that haven’t crossed your screen. But before plunging into the realms of Google, try your bets with the office’s handcrafted career resources, especially catered to Tufts students. Accessible through the Career Services homepage, Tufts Career Connect is helpful because it connects you with field-specific opportunities and employers connected to the Tufts name. A common Tufts alma-mater gives some employers an added incentive to hear you out, explore your interests, and take you under their professional wing.
Next to the catchy Tufts Career Connect logo await other resources. Both the Liberal Arts Career NetWORK (LACN) and engIN (for engineering students) list positions (primarily internships) shared among groups of schools.
While you’re at it, try perusing some field-specific career sites; while not particular to Tufts, they offer tons of opportunities targeted to different career fields. When it comes to general search sites, job aggregators like SimplyHired.com that draw from multiple places are worth a visit.
3. Check out our Career Resources on WebCenter-- a useful compilation of all Tufts’ career search and networking resources designed to focus our chaotic search lens. Simply sign into WebCenter, select Career Services Web Resources from the drop-down menu, and ta-dah! You’re face-to-face with a splattering of career tools. The site includes an employer search database called CareerSearch, Spotlight on Careers, a liberal arts career research tool, and the Vault Online Library, featuring downloadable guides on various career arenas--just to name a few. Connecting you to job openings, internship listings, and employers in mere clicks, the Career Services Resources menu on WebCenter is a fantastic place to catalyze the search process.
* Especially for SENIORS: Along with the above online resources, try your bets at job sites like www.onedayonejob.com, which lists a slew of entry-level jobs, and Current Jobs for Graduates, one of the subscription resources in WebCenter. Checking sites like these regularly will alert you to what’s out there job-wise and help direct you on your post-grad path.
* Especially for SENIORS: Along with the above online resources, try your bets at job sites like www.onedayonejob.com, which lists a slew of entry-level jobs, and Current Jobs for Graduates, one of the subscription resources in WebCenter. Checking sites like these regularly will alert you to what’s out there job-wise and help direct you on your post-grad path.
* Especially for JUNIORS AND SENIORS: Reach out to Employers. Now that class agendas are cleared, take the time to exchange smart dialogue with that admirable someone in your profession-to-be. It might be someone from around town, a friend-recommended contact, or even someone you hit it off with at our recent Internship Fair. We all love word-spitting about ourselves, so chances are you’ll be eagerly invited into the office or some sleek coffee shop nestled nearby. Networking, as it's professionally known, doesn’t have to be so formal or dryly official. Consider these phone calls or meet-ups not so much a way to robotically push out the resume, but to garner applicable advice, timely suggestions, and insight into what the job entails.
* FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES: Though you may not be thinking about your post-grad plans quite yet, you can still use the above tips and think about chatting with family friends and others who have interesting jobs while you're home for break.
* FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES: Though you may not be thinking about your post-grad plans quite yet, you can still use the above tips and think about chatting with family friends and others who have interesting jobs while you're home for break.
5. Schedule an Appointment with a Career Services Staff Member: Whether to plump the resume, prep the interview, or jump-start the search process, schedule an appointment with someone who can expertly guide you at all stages of the career-hunt. Simply call our front desk at 617 627 3299 to snatch a half-hour slot.
Practice planning in advance - you may not think you need an appointment right now, but odds are you'll think of questions in the days or week leading up to the appointment!
For last-minute questions, Career Services offers a M/W/F drop-in hour from 12-1pm as well as daily 20-minute Quick Question appointments (booked by calling day-of in the morning). In any case, a friendly catch-up chat is a perfect way to move this process along. And, added bonus: staff (most-often) come equipped with candy.
Practice planning in advance - you may not think you need an appointment right now, but odds are you'll think of questions in the days or week leading up to the appointment!
For last-minute questions, Career Services offers a M/W/F drop-in hour from 12-1pm as well as daily 20-minute Quick Question appointments (booked by calling day-of in the morning). In any case, a friendly catch-up chat is a perfect way to move this process along. And, added bonus: staff (most-often) come equipped with candy.
6. Become our Fan on Facebook!: Not just because we’re techy and totally fan-worthy, but for the range of extra career tools and tidbits designed for student eyes. Brimming with internship listings, cool links, and upcoming career events, the page is a forum for our amassing resources we want to pass, or in Facebook lingo, post along.
The above advice applies to all ambitious undergrads pining their way through the career search. Of course, the specific steps and advice you may choose vary across the board-- depending (among other things) on your class year, self-set goals, and specific stage in the job hunt. But we thought we might as well lay it all out on the table--leave it up to you to see what best complements your personal career motives and snazzy spring break agendas. Most importantly of all, though, relax! Between depleting my kitchen of snack food and deafening my parents' ears with my favorite HBO shows, I certainly will be. So make some dents in the career search, but first and foremost, take advantage of this much-needed break from it all. We all deserve it.
Have a great spring break!
Have a great spring break!
