As a sophomore, you are now ready to take your foundational skills and experiences, and put them to work for you.
You might be wondering…
“What is the most effective way to update my resume?"
Create and optimize your resume profile to capture the reader's attention, and help you stand out to prospective recruiters. Keep your profile statement to 4-5 lines. Make it short and powerful. Choose your own style: paragraph or bullet. Make every word count: look at job posting to identify needed skills and experiences. Draw on extracurricular activities to identify your strengths.
“What do I need to know about writing a cover letter?"
An effective cover letter motivates the employers to review your resume and invite you for an interview! Determine the specific person to whom you address the letter (Leave salutation off if you cannot locate this information.) Keep it to one page with an introduction, body, and conclusion paragraph. Focus on the employer's needs and connect your experiences and skills with their organization. Use the job description to give your letter focus: state how you will benefit the company. Individualize each letter to the position and employer.
“Is it too early to start searching for my internship?"
You are eligible to apply for an internship after you have completed 30 credit hours at the University of Findlay. You may participate in multiple internships as you continue to develop your career plan. This can allow you to continue to build your skills and professional experiences.
“Mock Interviews and Job Fairs: What do I need to know?"
Before the Interview/Job: Know yourself, Know the employer, Practice interview questions, Plan your wardrobe, Gather needed materials. During the Interview/Job: Body Language, Illustrating and conveying your qualifications. After the Interview/Job: Thank you notes.
Add text for answer “Tell me about yourself", aka “What is an Elevator Speech?"
Be prepared to give a 30-second description of yourself. Then practice, practice, practice! Consider including the following ideas: What are you good at (i.e your major or an accomplishment)? What is your biggest strength in this area? What is your career goal? What motivates you (who do you want to inspire or why do you enjoy what you do?) Reassess your elevator speech regularly. As you and your career evolve, your elevator speech should evolve also.
Are you interested in obtaining an internship your junior or senior year?
This is the perfect time to take these active steps toward that goal.
“How do I start my Internship/Job Search?"
Create your LAMP List: Engage your network and use your professional skills to lay the groundwork now. (We recommend using Steve Dalton's internship/job search method.)
Start thinking about companies with whom you would like to do an internship.
- Set up a strong LinkedIn Profile
- Begin thinking Long-Term Career Goals
Look into volunteer opportunities within your career field. Previously formed relationships that have been maintained over time can develop into internships, and provide an opportunity to gain information and advice about a career field, industry, or organization.