New Challenges to Finding a Job/Internship

The pandemic has added many challenges to finding internships and jobs. The most notable challenge is not being in person for an interview, networking event or job fair. Here is a small guide to help you all find and prepare for an internship or full-time job. Most of this is based off of my experiences.

Resources to find jobs:

Due to the pandemic, job fairs have gone virtual. This is both good and bad. The positive is that the job fair is more convenient to go to. The downside is that if you don’t keep up with the news on the job fair you might miss it. The benefit of living in the current era is the accessibility to other resources.  

Handshake is one of the best resources to help you find internships and full-time jobs to apply to. Many companies are on Handshake and these same companies also show up to the job fairs. Handshake allows you to filter and sort the jobs you are looking for. You can also fill out the information about yourself, so employers can see your resume and GPA straight from Handshake. Most employers at the job fairs ask you to apply online, so I would apply online on Handshake before meeting with them at any job fair. 

Another great resource to help you find internships and jobs is through LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a professional social media and networking site that allows you to connect with others and grow your network. LinkedIn can be used to find internships and jobs using their job search tools. This is similar to Handshake. LinkedIn can also help you find jobs by talking to individuals in your network and seeing if they have any opportunities. 

Resumes are still essential during the pandemic. Most to all employers require to see your resume in an interview or submitted in the application. My recommendations for your resume is to keep it 1 page long. Order it starting from your school info and GPA, then your prior work experience, and then your activities, and finally your skills. Keep things concise and when explaining your experience, and activities talk about what you did and what that led to. (Ex. I utilized my marketing skills to promote our company on all social media, resulting in a 37% increase in customers.) I more exact you can be, the better. References are something you don’t need on your resume and most internship/ job applications ask for your references. 

Interviews have been changed completely during the pandemic. Most interviews will be over zoom, Microsoft teams, or a similar video conference platform. To any professional event or interview, it is important to dress up in business professional attire. The interviews itself can vary depending on industry. Some internship and job interviews are more technical where they quiz you on your skills relevant to the industry. Other interviews can be more relaxed. Most interviews have a behavorial portion where the employer can ask you questions about yourself. The best way to approach these interviews is to stay calm and talk in a more conversational way. Don’t make it seem like a strict interview, be more loose and have fun. My best advice for interview questions is to know what to say before hand. Most interviewers use similar questions. So I would google interview questions on your own before the interview and practice your response. Have a mental toolbox so you know what answer or story to give dispensing on what words and questions you hear. This make the interview less nerve-racking as you prepared ahead of time. Once the interview is over always ask questions to your interview so you can get to know them better as well. Finally, after the interview, follow up with your interviewer over email and thank them for the opportunity. 

~Sneh