As we approach the end of the school year and finals we wanted to say – first of all – congrats you made it! Keep in mind that just because you may no longer be on campus that doesn’t mean that you have to leave the CDC behind you. You always have access to the Bridge where you can also find our handouts for tips on Resumes, Networking, Informational Interviewing, and other topics (under Guidance > CDC Handouts & Guides).
Secondly, here are a few more suggestions of things your might consider for the summer months to help keep your career goals on track:
- Working: part time perhaps with a part time internship on the side or full time. Either way a summer job is a great way to make some extra cash for the semester and also gain experience that can be highlighted on your resume.
- Internships: gain experience, make important networking contacts, and learn new skills relevant to your future career. Remember to update your resume and LinkedIn with your role and connect with anyone you work with in the company (including other interns!). There are countless articles offering tips and advice on how to make the most of your internship so check out a few (like this one from Harvard Business Review or this one from HuffPost) to make sure you are getting as much out of this experience as you can. If you aren’t sure how to update your resume check out our Resume Basics presentation for some help.
- Summer Class/Build Skills: perhaps you are taking a summer class or just want to work on gaining new skills. Working on anything from learning excel, publishing software, Photoshop, improving writing or public speaking skills, will all benefit you in the long run. Check out Bucknell’s subscription to Lynda.com and see what sort of skills you can learn this summer!
- Informational Interviewing or Job Shadowing: both are excellent ways to learn more about a certain field or industry – and start building contacts within them. Check out these tips on how to get started.
- Network: in person and/or online. The summer is a great time to work on your LinkedIn profile. It’s also a great time to see if there are any alumni in your area using the Bucknell Alumni App (now with a desktop version) and perhaps even setting up some informational interviews to learn more about a particular industry/job and make some connections.
- LinkedIn: Get your profile started or update it with what you’ve accomplished during the academic year. LinkedIn is not just for making connections though – checkout industry groups, professional associations, and company pages which can all act as great industry research tools in addition to company websites.
- Bucknell Alumni App: The alumni directory is now available from any desktop, tablet or mobile device! You can sign in using your existing credentials (if you are already using the app), login with LinkedIn, or login using an email address that Bucknell has on file for you. Top Features include:
- “Alumni Nearby” map
- Filter your search by class, industry, company, Greek affiliation and more!
- Provide updated contact information
- Volunteer: You may not being paid but volunteering can be an invaluable experience and future employers know this. You gain new skills, become a part of a community, and you never know who you may meet or what future employer might have a similar passion as you. This Monster.com article offers more tips and benefits of volunteer experience.
You don’t have to do it all but we hope this list of ways to keep your career plans moving forward helps spark some ideas and motivation – and of course, relax and have some fun!
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