5 Steps to Starting Your Internship & Job Search
As you begin your internship and job search, it is important to reflect on your interests. These interests can be based on topics you have learned in your course or extracurricular activities. If you have no idea on what opportunities you might be interested in, you can schedule a meeting with a career advisor to discuss possible internships and careers. Your career advisor may also suggest taking the Strong Interest Inventory assessment to jump-start your search. The Strong Interest Inventory is an assessment of your interests only and provides a list of possible jobs that you might enjoy. If you are interested in the Strong Interest Inventory or learning about other career assessments email your career advisor or career@butler.edu.
It is important to remember that internships are important opportunities for you to explore your interests. Your first internship or job will likely be different from the career field or role you stay at for your entire career. Discovering what you do not like in a role, organization, and industry is just as important as finding out what you do like in your career exploration.
Reviewing job posts is a helpful activity in identifying the types of roles to which you want to apply. As you read them, ask yourself what you like about the job requirements and responsibilities. Are there any listed requirements that you do not meet? Or that you dislike? It is important to choose roles to apply for where you meet around 40% of the requirements. It is not necessary to meet 100% of the requirements to apply. Review the location for the opportunity in which you are applying. Is this a location where you would like to live and work? Is this opportunity remote or hybrid? It is important also to review the salary, compensation, and benefits. Does the salary and compensation meet your needs? What benefits are available to you as an intern or employee? Being able to understand the job description, is an important step in the internship and job search process. The job description is often your first opportunity to learn about an employer. It is also an important tool in the application process, which is detailed later in the article.
Networking is an essential part of the internship and job search. People want to work with others that they know and trust. The best way to get to know professional connections is to network and have informational interviews about their professional journey. You can network in a variety of ways including attending career fairs and networking events, online via Handshake and LinkedIn, and even with your professors and classmates. These connections will help you learn more about the field, company, and role in which you are interested.
Your network can also serve as recommenders for potential employers and can share important information about hiring processes within their companies. Career and Professional Success (CaPS) recommends that all students update their Handshake and build their LinkedIn profiles. For alumni, CaPS recommends that you build and/or keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. This is an important step in online networking and allowing potential employers and connections to learn more about you. Review below to learn more DOs and DONTs of Networking.
- Talk to people you know such as parents, friends of the family and alumni and/or asking them to introduce you to others.
- Volunteer in your community.
- Visit with other members of different social or religious groups.
- Ask for a referral and/or introduction to another connection.
- Strike up a conversation with someone while you are waiting in line.
- Meet new contacts on LinkedIn, Facebook or other social networks.
- Attend professional or trade association meetings.
- Focus on quality of connection over quantity of connections.
- Know that it is a lifelong activity.
- Make cold-calls to people to whom you have no connection.
- Hand out as many business cards as you can to anyone who will take them.
- Make it just about you; it’s a two-way street. Be prepared to return the favor.
- Ask for the job right away or on the first meeting.
What you look for in a job or internship could be professional or personal in nature. You may need to work for a small company that feels like family while someone else wants a large corporation where there are always new people to meet. Perhaps you can’t live without being in a city located near a major airport. A deal breaker could be specific states and their laws, or political climates.
Here are some potential personal must-haves/deal breakers:
- Proximity to a large hospital,
- Walkable, bikeable, public transit
- Arts scene
- Cost of living
- Laws that may impact your health
- Political climate in relation to identity
- Proximity to family/friends/support system
Here are some work-specific must-haves/deal breakers:
- Hybrid, remote, in-person only
- Flexible schedule
- Unlimited PTO
- Professional development funds
- In-person v. virtual training – you may have a preference
- Office setting – open workspace v. single office
- Access to natural light
- Investment in team-building
- Retirement and 401K matching
- Company size
- Health insurance for you – possibly dependents and pets
- Set 9-5 schedule v. expectation of working nights and weekends
- Four-day work-week
- Summer Friday afternoons off
- Expectations to reply to emails outside of office hours
- Ability to travel
- Feeling glued to your desk to answer phone calls or take meetings
- Are you going to an “at will” state where you can be let go without explanation
- Sign-on bonus
- Moving stipend
- Time off to volunteer
- Paid maternity and paternity leave
- Tuition reimbursement
Top 4 Tips for Managing your Search:
- Maximizing Job Descriptions
- As you are applying, get in the habit of saving job descriptions. Employers will often remove postings when they have expired. Job descriptions are key to tailoring your application materials and preparing for interviews, helping you to effectively articulate how your skills and experience align closely with what the employer is seeking.
- Mastering your Applications with Smart Tracking
- Maintaining some method of tracking your applications is crucial for staying organized and on top of your job search. Create a spreadsheet or use a tracking tool to record information such as the job title, company name, date applied, login information, and status of your application.
- Setting Reasonable Goals
- Setting goals helps you to build momentum and maintain a positive outlook when you become overwhelmed or frustrated. Break down the process into manageable steps, such as applying to a certain number of jobs per week, networking, and/or attending job fairs and events. Review and adjust your goals as you go.
- Be Kind to Yourself
- The job search can often be an overwhelming and discouraging process, so it’s important to be kind to yourself during this time. Recognize that rejection is a normal part of the process, not a reflection of your worth or abilities. Celebrate the small wins along the way, and remember that your mental health is just as important as your professional goals- having that balance will help you to succeed in your search.