Six Ways to Get Career-Ready during Winter Break

Students: the fall semester is coming to an end, and you will soon be home for break. That’s 24 days of sleep, attending family gatherings, relaxing, and more. But in all reality, how much of that time can you spend eating fruit cake?

The Center for Career and Academic Planning (CCAP) has a few career-related activities for you to complete over break (after you’ve had a nap and started all of the laundry you brought home).

1. Upload Your Documents to Handshake.

Now is the time to review your résumé and cover letter to make sure each is current. Keeping your documents up to date is important: you never know when a great opportunity will pop up so having a résumé or cover letter always ready is a smart strategy.

Once your documents are up to date, you can upload them to Handshake for approval. Get to Handshake from the launchpad – you can also find job postings and more!

No résumé or cover letter? No worries! Check out CCAP’s QuickGuides (located in the Handshake resources section) for a reference on crafting those documents. You can also schedule an appointment with a Career Services professional through Handshake.

2. Complete a Micro-Internship.

Parker Dewey offers college students short-term job and micro-internship opportunities. You can apply the skills and concepts taught in the classroom into a real-world experience. Parker Dewey is in the Handshake resources section under the “JOB & INTERNSHIP SEARCH” folder. You can also find opportunities via a search on Handshake or LinkedIn.

3. Take A Short Course.

Have some free time? Try taking a short course through LinkedIn or Coursera. Classes and certification programs will range for each major and discipline. Short courses build your skills for the professional work environment for free (or near free).

4. Line Up a Job Shadow or Informational Interview.

Now is a great time to get a glimpse into your future career. Job shadowing involves learning about a position on-the-job by following and observing an experienced professional. Informational interviews find a professional who works in an area of interest to you, allows you to ask questions, and aids in growing your professional network!

5. Think Ahead.

We want our students to graduate on time and we encourage you to schedule an appointment with one of our CCAP advisors to map out your long-range plan. This will provide a better visualization of the courses you need to take (and when you should take them) to graduate on time.

Also, now is the time to consider summer work and internship opportunities. Handshake and LinkedIn will often send you curated emails highlighting positions best fit for someone in your grade and major/discipline. We encourage you to open the emails, read the job descriptions, and apply if interested.

6. Follow Us. 

Interested in learning more about Career and Academic services provided by CCAP? Follow us on social media (Instagram @fisherccap and Facebook @fisherccap) for more tips and tricks! 

We encourage you to schedule an appointment with our advisors on Handshake or FisherLink.