What to do Before You Leave Your Summer Job/Internship

So you landed that summer position. That’s awesome! But be mindful of your situation. The summer is short, but your impact can be long lasting. Here are a few ways to ensure you get the most out of your summer job or internship.

1. Ask for feedback

A surefire way to let your supervisor know you’re serious about your position is to ask how they think you’re doing. It shows that you are interested in how you are helping the company to the best of your abilities and are committed to its progress.

2. Secure references

If you feel that you’ve built a substantial and professional relationship with your supervisor or any other colleagues, don’t be afraid to ask if you can list them as a reference in the future. These people will become invaluable assets to your network. Make sure whoever you choose is reliable and actually has good things to say about you!

3. Remember to thank everyone

Potential reference or not, it’s important to thank everyone for all they’ve done to help you while you were there. Express your gratitude to your recruiter, supervisor, and any coworkers who helped you significantly with any projects.

4. See any projects you started through to the end.

If you’re unable to do so, leave a set of detailed instructions or offer to walk your coworkers through your process.

5. Gather contact information and keep in touch with your colleagues

Higher ups who admired the job you did might reach out to you in the future if they’re looking to fill a position in either theirs or a partner company. Staying in touch also means you have expanded your network and they can help you get a leg up in your field in the future. They can also act as a mentor or source of guidance later in your career.

6. Ask about office protocol for departure

It’s important to know what you need to do before leaving. Different offices have different policies and procedures pertaining to departure. There may be loose ends to tie up and last-minute things to put in order.

7. Communicate to your supervisor what you gained from the experience

While it’s important for the supervisor to give you feedback and periodically let you know how you’re doing, it’s equally valuable to let your higher up know what you gained from the experience. In turn, let your supervisor know if there’s anything you think that could use improvement in order to enrich the experience for future interns.

8. Ask about continued work/other employment opportunities

If you enjoyed your time at the internship, inquire about any opportunities to extend your time there or pick up a different position in the fall.

How to Mix Vacation and Work

Summer is universally recognized as the time to take a break. However, taking a break is not always an option for a full time employee, even if you go on a trip. Here’s how to effectively balance work and vacation.

1. Work ahead

Try to get some of the work you’ll be missing finished before you leave. Staying overtime in the weeks before your trip is never a bad idea. Try to get as much done as possible before leaving.

2. Set boundaries

Staying on top of work is important, but you should remember that you planned this vacation for a reason. To ensure that you get that much needed rest and relaxation, set constraints on when and how much you work. Do work when you know it won’t interfere with your recreational plans. Are you excited for early morning hikes or you looking forward to the nightlife? Plan accordingly. Additionally, try not to spend more than an hour or two working. You don’t want to turn your work/break balance into a part-time job.

3. Plan

It’s also incredibly important to plan ahead. Arrange who will cover for you and who you want to put in charge of any projects. Distribute outlines and checklists to those who are helping you. Throughout your trip, periodically check in to ensure that everything is getting done as you see fit.

4. Limit yourself to a phone

With your boundaries set and your plan set in motion, go even further in ensuring you get the break you need. Limit your devices to just your phone. This allows you to stay in contact with those who need you, but doesn’t give you the ability to waste your vacation time writing reports or doing digital filing.

5. Don’t take your work with you

Plan to only check your e-mail or update your team while you’re in your hotel room or in the taxi on the way to your destination. Once you’re at the beach, the park, or the club, turn your work off. Do what you came here to do - enjoy yourself!

How to Stay Professionally Productive Over the Summer

Letting the warm weather affect your work ethic is a danger that all workers face. Try not to get stuck in the haze of summer by staying productive in your professional field.

1. Cover for vacationing coworkers

Show that you can take initiative and are a team player by taking on any projects or work that your coworkers abandoned when they went on vacation. Ensure that your coworkers are up to speed on any changes that go on in the office or attend meetings that they might miss and take notes for them. Not only will you be helping your coworkers, but you’ll also be gaining invaluable experience in different areas of the office.

2. Take on new projects

With the calm of summer, it’s easier to take on a lot of work at once. Start new initiatives that didn’t take priority during the busy seasons. Revisit smaller projects that fell through the cracks or were postponed. You’ll have more time to invest your time and passion and really make a difference.

3. Combine work and play

If you’re lucky enough to be able to go on vacation during the summer, don’t let your work fall by the wayside. It’s important to relax during your trip - after all, that’s what it’s for. Dedicate half an hour in the morning to check your work e-mail or check in on a project you left in the hands of a trusted colleague.

What to do If You Don't Have a Job/Internship Lined Up for the Summer

Facing a summer of unemployment can be disheartening. But there’s no reason to despair. By doing the right things during the break, you can effectively work towards a job for the fall and move further down your career path.

1. Reach out to your network

Reach out to your connections! It’s important to cement your network and get back in touch with those who can help you in the job hunt.

2. Go back to school

Taking a class over the summer is also highly encouraged. Learn or refine a skill that will bolster your resume and open the door for more job opportunities. Earn more credits in a field that might help in your journey to graduate school or result in earlier graduation.

3. Volunteer

While it’s great to be paid for work, volunteering with a non-profit organization, charity, or community center is also a great way to spend the summer. Not only will you be helping your community, but employment at the organization is also possible if you truly prove yourself to be a valuable asset.

4. Summer research

Do you have a senior thesis coming up? Are you in a field in which you can work with professionals in a formal setting? A great way to spend the summer is by conducting research. This time of year gives you time to become truly enmeshed in your work and devote yourself fully to it.

5. Start looking for a fall internship

A number of things could have prevented you from finding employment during the summer. Whatever the reasons were, list them and see how you can combat them now without the distractions that the academic year brings.

6. Shadow a professional or mentor

Use your network to see if there are any professionals you can shadow while they work in their field. The experience you gain will be invaluable and the opportunities presented to you will be irreplaceable.

To find on-campus jobs, start checking Handshake in mid-August.

9 Things to do Over the Summer to Help Advance Your Career

The end of the academic year doesn’t also signal the end of your hard work. Whether you have a job, are traveling, or are attending classes over the summer, it’s important to keep your career path in check. During the summer, you should try to do the following things that will help advance your progress along that path.

1. Network

Look for networking events in your area that give you the opportunity to connect with people while also enjoying the season. Take advantage of the nice weather and take networking outside through things like retreats or work picnics.

2. Fill in for your vacationing coworkers

Show that you can take initiative and are a team player by taking on any projects or work that your co-workers left unfinished when they went on vacation. Ensure that your colleagues are up to speed on any changes that go on in the office or attend meetings that they might miss and take notes for them. Not only will you be helping your coworkers, but you’ll also be gaining invaluable experience in different areas of the office.

3. Schedule informational interviews

It’s difficult to get a job in the middle of the summer, but there’s no harm in going to a company and asking to speak to a professional about opportunities and what might be involved in holding a position there.

4. Start cultivating a professional presence online

Do a quick Google search of your name. Does anything inappropriate come up? Clean up your online image and make sure there’s nothing attached to your name that could be considered incriminating. Also look through sites that are available to the public, such as your LinkedIn profile, and make sure they’re clean and concise.

5. Freelance

Just because you aren’t working in an office doesn’t mean you can’t work. Offer your expertise and submit your work to different publications or corporate interests.

6. Volunteer with charities and nonprofit organizations

Another effective way to contribute to your community is through volunteer work. Find charities or non-profit organizations that are offering positions or looking for volunteers.

7. Learn a new skill

A great way to keep your mind active and open yourself up to more job opportunities is to learn a new skill. Take a class at your community college or find out where lessons are being offered. Learn something you’re passionate about but might not have had time to study during the academic year.

8. Update your resume

Be sure to include any new skills, experiences, or references gained by your summer activities to your resume. Everything is valuable!

9. Determine what you need to eliminate in order to reach your goals

Try to limit your time working with toxic people who will detriment your network or working on skills that you are able to do, but are not rewarding or able to further your career in any way.

How to Be Successful at Your Internship - JCFP Style

Congratulations on being selected to participate in the Jaggar Community Fellows Program!  It is a very prestigious program and one that is sure to greatly impact your summer.  There are many incredible employers doing fabulous work who cannot wait to meet you and see your work within their organizations.  Always remember, as you will be working in a not-for-profit company, every assignment given is, in some small or large way, helping contribute to a greater cause.  Whether this is your first internship or you are an intern expert, here are a few things to help you navigate the 10-week long intern road ahead.

Always remind yourself that you are an intern.  While the Center for Career and Professional Development prides itself on matching JCFP interns with companies that give their interns real work (not the coffee runs or photocopying), there are times where you may be doing everyday tasks.  Everyone in every position has to do these things at some point so do not take it the wrong way.  Interns are there to learn first-hand what it is like to work in a particular position.  You are new, green, and at the bottom of the totem pole.  Let this experience mold you, even the less exciting tasks to the huge projects that you might get to work on.

Dress to impress.  Definitely beating a dead horse with this as it is a mantra of CPD, but it could not be more true.  If you are dressed appropriately, others will see the seriousness that you bring to the job and you yourself also feel more confident.  Now, this comes with an asterisk (*) … some positions do not require suits or business casual every day.  Clearly, this is a tip for those in offices, etc.  If you are doing manual labor or spending many days outside, clearly a suit, for example, might not be the ideal choice.  Have common sense and dress appropriately for the situation at hand.

Be courteous and cordial to everyone that you come into contact with throughout the internship, but especially at the beginning.  You do not know which departments collaborate with one another, who is friends with who, and the dynamic of the office as a whole.  Be sure to take note of these connections quickly.  You may be able to utilize these same relationships when you are working on assignments.  Also a side note, everyone loves food, especially baked things, so it never hurts to bring in something for everyone to enjoy.  Yes, it’s shamelessly convincing people you are great, but as long as the food is good, it usually works and you typically get to share in the deliciousness, so a win for everyone!

Always look for more things to do.  You signed up for JCFP because you wanted an internship experience.  Now, you have to work for it, but with each new task and day comes more experiences and opportunities.  Do not let it go by.  If your supervisor is out or too busy to assign you something new, seek something out!  Perhaps you can take the initiative to begin a new project that you know needs to be done or asking someone else in the office what they need help with.  Displaying ambition and interest to your employer not only reaffirms your desire to be an intern, but it also may lead to even more meaningful tasks.

Feeding off of the last tip, give the internship some time!  Everyone needs to get to know you, especially your new supervisor.  He/she may be a bit hesitant to give you incredibly large or important assignments on the first day, or even the first week.  As with everything, you need to show your strengths and worth.  Just put your best foot forward and be patient.  Allow your supervisor to build a trusting relationship with you.  While it might be difficult to wait, it will pay off in the long run and it never hurts for you to propose things that you could do (see previous tip).

A personal note from a former JCFP intern to the newest class – The non-profit world is a special place!  There are a good number of you who have probably never been exposed to it before or have even considered that there is an entire working force in the not-for-profit sector.  In the end, you may realize that you do not like it at all.  Thank goodness this is a no risk situation!  What would you have done had you gone throughout your entire undergraduate career to realize you dislike the career that you worked so hard to enter into?  Now, you can decipher the various aspects of your major and the numerous jobs that you can acquire with it.  And, what happens if you love your job and even the non-profit world?  Well then, you have found your niche in the workforce and we sincerely hope you not only take advantage of this experience, but propel yourself forward to even greater heights as you work toward something you love to do each day!

Go out, be your best selves, and do great things!!  Best of luck!

By Alexandra Wurglics

How to Stand Out at a Job Fair

Attending a job fair can be intimidating. With so many people competing for the same job, it’s difficult to stand out as the unique employee you know you are. Here are a few tips to follow so you can make a lasting impression at a job fair.

Do your research

Before the job fair, conduct some basic research on the companies you have the most interest in. Knowing some of their policies, their mission statement, goals, and services is instrumental in impressing an employer and appealing to them as a future employee. Asking specific questions and making references to information you find on their website shows the employer that you are truly interested in working for that company.

Make a strong first impression

When you first meet an employer, firmly shake their hand and maintain eye contact when you introduce yourself. This shows that you are confident. Also, smile! Although you may be feeling intimidated, make it clear that you are happy to be speaking with this employer and excited to be there.

Put yourself on display

This is your time to shine. Once you begin speaking to a potential employer, you only have a few minutes to show them why they should hire you. Mention your achievements and any special projects you worked on. Don’t just speak about where you worked in the past. Tell them what you accomplished there.

Don’t try to be a jack of all trades

Be specific and focused about what kind of job you want. Don’t come up to the table asking what opportunities are available. Your previous research should have also included a look into what positions they’re offering. Have one in mind that you want to discuss and focus your conversation towards that. If you want a human resources job, gear the discussion towards your experience in human resources and what you enjoy about working in that field.

End on a high note

Your final impression should be a lasting one. Ask about the next steps in the application process. Offer to come by the employer’s office for a longer conversation or informational interview in person. Make sure you thank the person for his/her time, and request a business card. This shows that you are committed to following up and are truly interested in the position.

Follow up

Within a few days after the job fair, follow up with the people you spoke to. Although it seems old fashioned, sending a thank you note to thank them for their time and for speaking with you comes off very professional and impressive. It shows the recruiter what type of worker you are and is often the difference between getting offered a position or not. Be sure to ask about any other opportunities to meet and have a discussion if you didn’t bring it up during the in person interview.