11 Steps that Lead to the Ideal Job or Internship How Career Advising Can Guide You Now
September 23, 2020
You can bring any internship, job, or career question to your career advisor. I am ready to help you with a myriad of challenges, ideas, discovery exercises, or whatever is on your mind – especially during this “interesting” time in the working world. From “what career is right for me?” to setting up the ideal space for Zoom job interviews or learning how to network with alumni and much, much more, you can get my help by simply making an appointment on Handshake. Just look for Program Specific Guidance – School of Communication. Click through that and you will see my available days and times. Book an appointment that works for your schedule, and I’ll be notified. I’ll approve the appointment and then we meet!
If you don’t have a specific question or challenge, there’s still plenty of good reasons to make a career advising appointment. Here is a typical pathway that shows what we can accomplish over several sessions.
- Personal branding – identifying your best traits so we can identify the roles and companies that best suit you. We’ll use an assessment that helps you see how to characterize the special qualities you naturally bring to each job or activity. With that essential insight, your resume and cover letter reflect what’s great about you and we also know how to craft LinkedIn recommendation requests.
- Career and sector discovery – window-shopping through the world of opportunities that you have may have overlooked, not yet considered, or perhaps thought about and not yet taken a deep dive into. This may include connecting with alumni in a variety of fields, doing specific exercises that I’ll design for you, and your reflecting on the clues that tell us what ignites your genuine interest.
- Achievement-based resume development – crafting or revising your job history, community service, and other activities so they each show “how you made things better” in each situation. Whenever possible, we’ll add numbers, percentages, and other metrics, along with meaningful ways to show employers and internship providers that you are the right candidate. This is especially helpful if you haven’t been in the field or sector you aspire to be in now. You need this achievement-oriented resume for Handshake and also LinkedIn, as well as your outreach and uploads for job postings.
- LinkedIn profile polish – starting, completing, or revising your LinkedIn profile sections with updated information, keywords, and a compelling “about section.” We can get a great start on key sections of your profile and then continue adding to it as we get recommendations, skills endorsements, and work samples. Once it’s complete, we start reaching out to connections to expand your network and impress them.
- Relationship-building cover letter development – drafting a standard cover letter that you can customize for each opportunity. In just five paragraphs, you will motivate a recruiter or hiring manager to meet you and help them see what you uniquely bring to their organization. The template provides you with the perfect formula for introducing yourself, illuminating your experience and traits in a way that jumpstarts their attention and connection with you.
- Recommendations outreach – helping your personal, professional, and school network vouch for your great qualities and contributions by posting recommendations and endorsing your skills on LinkedIn. Getting at least ten recommendations along with skill endorsements helps you telegraph to recruiters and employers that you are a great choice for their organizations. We use your personal brand assessment and achievement-based resume to guide us as we draft those recommendations to include with your requests. That way, your recommendations help round out the picture of why you are a great candidate for an internship or job.
- Work sample compilation – putting together your relevant coursework, personal projects, and any approved work from past jobs or activities. I’ll help you reflect on what you have already produced in a variety of forms, including reports, social media, photography, video, and other media that you can add to your LinkedIn or on a personal portfolio site. This helps show the quality and breadth of your work to recruiters and employers, who are searching for candidates at all times of the day and night. You can also use LinkedIn Learning to get trained and certified in the skills that employers are seeking.
- Job interview “magic” – telling your story in response to the predictable and even unexpected questions that you may be asked by a recruiter, hiring manager, or referral source. We’ll craft your responses, so they reflect your authentic traits, relevant personal experiences, helpful community or club service, and pertinent work history. Then, we’ll role play so you feel calm and confident in any job interview.
- Networking with alumni – using LinkedIn to reach some of the 63, 067 Chapman Alumni on the platform and our LinkedIn School of Communication Group to help with your career discovery and internship or job search. We craft messages and request connections, so you increase your network and visibility.
- Making new connections – using LinkedIn and many creative ways to reach people who can provide you with valuable insights, opportunities, and referrals. Most people are surprised when they reflect on their friends, family members, connections through clubs and community service, and people they know from other activities. You are probably just one or two connections away from most if not all the people you need to know to land the perfect opportunity.
- Igniting and expanding your search – landing a meaningful, satisfying, productive, and lucrative position is not just a one-time task. We start with a search of Handshake and LinkedIn, along with specialty sites and other job-finding approaches. We leverage your connectivity and every resource to help you find the right position. Plus, we keep up your motivation and confidence throughout the journey!
Remember, at Chapman University, we provide career advising for life. While these steps, and more, are part of what you can do now, they are also a foundation you may build on with us as you create and manage your career choices and job search over your lifetime.
Next Step: Make an appointment for career advising via Handshake, so we can start working together!