Career Advancement Tips for Fourth Years

Are you a fourth-year student who would like some help securing full-time employment or looking to explore alternative options? Spring Break is the perfect time to find a full-time or gap year opportunity. See below for some tips that you can apply in the upcoming days and weeks.

1.     Expand your search – as spring quarter approaches, expand your job search to include summer internship opportunities as well. While most employers do look for third-year interns, many also take fourth-year students. If you impressive your manager over the course of an internship, you have an excellent chance of landing a full-time offer.

2.     Clean your resume – Spring Cleaning doesn’t just apply to your closet – it applies to your resume, too! Now is as great a time as ever to clean and refresh your resume. Make sure that your experiences, GPA, and contact information are up to date, take off high school accomplishments (most employers are not interested in seeing bullet points about what you did during high school by this time – unless it’s something super impressive), and make sure that you include as many action verbs and numbers as you can in your resume. As always, remember to proof-read; even details like formatting and font matters.

3.     Attend the virtual career fair - Taking place from April 9-11, the Virtual Career Fair is open exclusively to students at Big 10 schools plus Notre Dame, DePaul, and UChicago. Register here (insert link) and meet employers online!

4.     Brush up on technical skills/industry-specific knowledge – Spring Break is a great opportunity to study up on those technical questions that come up during interviews. Pick up a Vault Guide for whichever industry you are interested in and go through the practice questions. While personality is very important, employers also want to make sure that you are someone capable of doing the job.

5.     Reach out to your professor – Did you take a class with an amazing professor last quarter? Talk to him or her and ask to see if he or she knows any internship/research/full-time opportunities available. Many professors take research assistant, which not only provides a excellent learning experience, but also looks great on your resume.

6.     Explore gap year options – Don’t get stuck thinking you must get a full-time job after graduation. There are plenty of other options available, such as a fellow-ship, a rotational program, or an international exchange. Sign up for the Spring 2013 Job Circles (insert link) to learn more about what you can pursue outside of full-time employment.

7.     Network, network, network – Don’t forget to keep up your personal and professional networks! Did you have an interview with a recruiter that you really connected with this fall or winter? Even if you didn’t receive an offer, reach out to them and see if they know of any opportunities available. Not only does it show interest, it’s also an excellent way to maintain your professional network. Have a friend who received an offer somewhere you want to work at? Ask them if they know of any opportunities.

Good luck with your career search and have a wonderful break! As always, feel free to schedule an appointment or call any of the Career Advancement counselors if you need any personalized guidance.