Posted by Unless you’re that lucky NYU student who spends winter break traversing the streets of Paris, jet skiing in the Caribbean, or even staying busy with J-term, it may just be that time of year again. The time of year where the initial Netflix binge begins to slow, meals from the holidays are finally finishing digestion, and all your friends from home start trickling back to their respective schools, leaving you wondering what in the world you should do with your life. I digress. Fortunately, I’ve come to find that winter break can be the perfect time to ensure that you’re set for the coming months. Whether you’re looking for a part-time job, a spring semester/summer internship, or even full-time employment, a few hours of work amid your slew of down time can do wonders. Below you’ll find a few tips to help spice up your professional development over winter break.
1. Update your resume.
We’ve seen it before: you’ve spent hours adding to your resume, coming up with the perfect format, describing your amazing work and contributions to companies/overall society in just one page, and you’re feeling great about yourself… until you realize that was done over a year ago. A lot’s happened since then, so get to updating!
2. Creating/updating your LinkedIn page.
For those of you who have yet to hop on the LinkedIn train, there’s no better time than now. Set up your profile and begin making connections. If you already have a LinkedIn account but (ahem,) haven’t given it a glance in weeks, the time has come my friend.
3. Get organized: Make Lists.
Organize lists of companies you’re interested in, what you’re looking to get out of employment, locations you’d like to explore, application deadlines, and other general attributes to your professional future. Making lists can provide clarity, organize to your thoughts, and help you figure out what your next steps should be as you seek employment.
4. Consider a personal website.
Across disciplines, students and authorities alike have been creating personal websites in order to market themselves professionally. Consider this option and look into some resources for finding ways to build a personal website. (There are both free and costly options out there. Spend some time on Google or speak to a Wasserman Career Coach for more information.)
5. Network
Reach out to people in your network and express interest in getting more experience in your respective field. You never know how far a simple question or a “hello” can go!
6. Meet with a Wasserman Career Coach
Whether it’s in person or remotely, winter break is a great time to meet with a career coach to talk in greater detail about your goals for the coming year. By planning ahead, and taking a few moments out of your break to spice up your professional life, you can be steps ahead in the game.
These are just a few tips to help you plan for the rest of the year. If you have any specific questions, feel free to meet with a Wasserman Career Coach. View the Wasserman website for more information on winter break walk-in hours and remote meetings for those outside of NYC. But most importantly, enjoy your winter break! I’m sure there’s something new on Netflix for you to get addicted to.
Once you return from break, make sure to attend our spring career fairs! Information is below:
Thursday January 29, 2015 11am – 3pm | NYU Kimmel Center
Take advantage of this opportunity to meet with employers hiring for summer internships and full-time positions in various industries!
Engineering & Technology Fall Fair
Thursday, February 12, 2015 11am – 3pm | NYU Brooklyn Campus, Jacobs Gymnasium
NYU Students are invited to explore full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities in a variety of fields, including engineering, computer hardware/software, technology, science, management, and digital media.
Download employer information on The Career Fair Plus app, featuring:
- · Complete company listing
- · Interactive Floor Plan
- · Event Details
- · Announcements for real-time updates
- · Career Fair tips section to help you prepare
Search for the NYU Career Fair Plus app on Google Play or iTunes
Terri Burns is a junior studying computer science in CAS. This year, Terri is on the communications team with her fellow Peer in Careers. Outside of her work with Wasserman, Terri is a Resident Assistant in Carlyle Court, a Google Student Ambassador, and heavily involved with NYC’s largest student technology organization, Tech@NYU.
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