Posted by By Chelsea Kwak, Wasserman Career Ambassador
Hi everyone! My name is Chelsea and I’m currently a junior at NYU studying Economics with a minor in Psychology and Business.
Searching for a job/internship can be overwhelming. There are so many industries, companies, and positions to choose from! So, where should you start your search and how can you find the perfect job/internship that matches your interests and skill sets? As a part of the Violet Ready skills campaign, I wanted to share my internship/job search process and tips that will help you with your search journey.
- Explore your interests and career options
The possibilities are endless! Have a little fun with this process by taking the 16Personalities test to better understand your strengths and weaknesses and using Career Explorer to get acquainted with new career options. Remember to be open to different options and focus on learning about your interests and values. It’s also helpful to create a list of potential industries you may be interested in working in.
- Research
Once you narrow down your career interests, the next step is to do a deep dive into them. Consider browsing through Vault to see a list of different companies within a specific industry or joining communities/clubs to help you learn more about it.
For instance, as someone interested in a career in consulting and finance, I joined NYU’s chapter of 180 Degrees Consulting, a pro-bono student consultancy for non-profits in the New York area. I also joined Becoming Bussinesswomen, a student-led organization for women in business. These organizations have not only helped me better understand my career interests, but have also helped me determine if they are the right fit for me. Moreover, the industry knowledge that you gain through research can come in handy in future interviews.
- Prepare your resume and cover letter
Take some time to think about the research you conducted regarding your industry and come up with some relevant skills that you believe will help you navigate a job in the industry. Make sure the bullet points on your resume highlight these skills. If you need help, the career coaches at the Wasserman Center for Career Development are available for meetings virtually.
- Start searching for opportunities
Handshake, LinkedIn, Glassdoor… There are so many different job databases that you can start looking for internship and job opportunities. One tip is to identify keywords that consistently appear on job postings that you are interested in. Different companies may have different ways of calling a similar position, so it is super helpful to keep track of those keywords that you want to look for in a job description. Moreover, creating a list of companies you are interested in and regularly checking their websites for openings can be a way of better understanding the company and their values while keeping up-to-date with opportunities.
- Apply!
Once you have made sure your resume and cover letter match the skills and qualifications that the position requires, go ahead and apply.
While everyone’s internship/job search can be a little bit different, I hope my step-by-step guideline was helpful to you. If you have any questions, sign up for an appointment with a career coach on Handshake.
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