Are you ready to begin your job or internship search?
We’ve put together some effective strategies to guide your job or internship search journey. A successful search includes determining your career priorities, preparing to showcase your value and skills to employers, and applying and continually managing your search.
The steps below are a great roadmap for your job or internship search. For an even more personalized approach, connect with a career advisor to talk things over and set your plan in motion!
Step 1:
Determine your Career Priorities
Making plans for your future can be challenging. Identifying your own priorities for your career can provide you with more exciting options and boost your confidence in your chosen path.
- Consider your own values, skills, and interests. Not sure where to start? The Career Exploration Center can help!
- Think about your own preferences when it comes to how you want to work. Where do you want to be geographically? Do you want to work remotely, in-office, or some of both? How does your career fit into your overall life goals?
- Get informed by exploring career fields, look up entry level positions, average salaries, and employment outlooks. The O*Net database is a great resource to get started!
- Identify specific employers and job positions that interest you on Handshake or other job search websites. Set your preferences to receive notifications when similar jobs or internships are posted.
Step 2:
Prepare to Showcase your Value and Skills to Employers
There are many things that go into applying for a job or internship. Things like resumes and cover letters come to mind immediately, but it’s also important to think about networking, references, and interview practice. Considering and preparing these things in advance will ensure you are ahead of the curve once you start applying!
- Draft your application materials. Wondering how you can (or should) use AI to write a resume or cover letter? We can help with that.
- Create a LinkedIn account and make sure your profile is up-to-date with your current experiences and skills. Follow and connect with companies and organizations of interest.
- Network with friends, family members, instructors, alumni, and employers to let them know about your career goals, gain advice, and seek referrals.
- Consider who you might use for professional references. This might be a former supervisor, professor, or colleague. Always be sure to ask in advance if they are able to serve as a strong, positive reference for you.
- Prepare for interviews using Big Interview, a free interview training tool for all UW-Madison students, or by completing a mock interview with a career advisor or employer.
- Meet with a career advisor who can offer feedback on application materials, share additional resources, get you connected with alumni and employers, and help you develop a job search plan. Find your career office and schedule an appointment via Starfish.
Step 3:
Apply and Continually Manage your Job or Internship Search
It’s time to start applying! Keep in mind that the job or internship search process can take time, so staying organized, consistent, and taking care of your well-being are key. Throughout the process, it’s important to be open to the unexpected and willing to broaden your search if you aren’t finding the right opportunity for you.
- Search and apply for job and internship opportunities on platforms such as Handshake (UW-Madison’s #1 job search website), LinkedIn, and Indeed. As you are searching, beware of fraudulent job postings and scams.
- Attend career and internship fairs, employer information sessions, and other on-campus networking events hosted by your career center. Learn about upcoming events on Handshake.
- Prioritize a certain amount of time for your search each week. A job or internship search can be time consuming, so dedicating specific time each week will help you stay consistent!
- Create a list or spreadsheet to help you keep track of applications, deadlines, tasks, and interview dates.
- Broaden the scope of your job search as needed to include alternative plans. Be open to unexpected possibilities and opportunities!
- Prioritize your mental health and utilize your network for support (friends, family, instructors, colleagues). University Health Servies also has resources to help you prioritize your own wellbeing.
- Check in with your career advisor and use career center resources as you continue your search, prepare for interviews, and consider offers.
