Get employers to notice you!
How to rise to the top in a daunting labor pool.
You can set yourself apart from the competition as an A&S student when looking for a job or internship. Career Services connects students to tools and resources that enhance the job search process for improved outcomes. Here are some steps to help you stand out as a strong candidate in a competitive job market.
Optimize your online presence
Complete your , Handshake and Forever Buffs Network profiles and make them public to attract recruiters.
Follow these steps to set up your Handshake profile for employers to reach out to you directly. You can also review these tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile and use VMock’s Aspire tool to get feedback. For consistency, connect your LinkedIn profile to your Forever Buffs Network profile.
In addition to completing your profiles, there are other ways to expand your online presence and get noticed by recruiters:
- Highlight your accomplishments and qualities that set you apart from others.
- Join social media hubs that are relevant to your career interests.
- Share content that reflects your interests, passions and career goals.
Tailor your resumes and cover letters
Tailor your resume and cover letter for each application to match the job description. To save time, create a template resume and cover letter that includes all your experience, skills and accomplishments. These core documents will serve as your starting points as you tailor your experience and examples for each application.
As you update your resume for different applications, use VMock to get feedback and make improvements. This free online resume review tool leverages data science, machine learning and natural language processing to provide personalized feedback on your resume.
Attend weekly programs for more tips on resume and cover letter writing.
Prepare and practice for interviews
When you interview with a potential employer, you’ll want to feel confident and ready. Regular practice can help you develop your interviewing skills. Then, you’ll feel more comfortable answering questions.
Interview Prep is a digital tool to help you practice and evaluate your interviewing skills virtually. You record yourself answering select questions. You can then watch the recording to review your answers and body language to evaluate areas for improvement.
With some job interviews still taking place virtually, Interview Prep is a valuable resource to help you develop your skills. Or ask a friend, family member or career advisor to help you practice for an in-person interview. They can use a list of commonly asked interview questions to conduct a mock interview with you, and you can practice your answers out loud. Learn more about how to prepare for interviews.
Skills pay the billsÌý
Using your time to learn new things and develop skills can give you an edge over other candidates. Check out the Skills for Success program in Career Services to learn more about creating new professional skills. This self-paced program allows you to identify the skills you already have, learn about new skills to develop and find opportunities on campus to build skills. You’ll also learn how to discuss your skills at every job search stage. Attend a Skills for Success workshop to get more insight.
For more tips to help with your job or internship search, check out the fairs and events offered by Career Services. These free workshops will share best practices for resumes, networking and more.
Hear from recent A&S grads about how they found their first job after college.
Attend the A&S Buff Talk: Recent Grads event to learn about their transition from college to work.
The event is taking place via zoom on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 4 pm. Register today!