Start your internship and job search today
by Giana Pollock
Internships are important to student’s growth in their career path, but what if students don’t know how to start their internship and job search? Lucky for the students at Cape Cod Community College (4C’s), Career Development and the Student Employment Office (SEO) have great resources to guide students on their internship and job search pathways. Dawn Harney, a Job Developer at the SEO, and Ann-Marie Julian, a Career Development counselor, have provided the MainSheet with everything students need to know about finding the right internships and jobs for their interests. Julian explained the importance of internships for obtaining future jobs.
“Internships can help students gain real-world experience in their field of study” said Julian. “The internship experience can enhance students’ resumes for future employment. Internships can also lead to job offers from students’ internship placements. Also, internships can help students build a network of professional contacts.” Harney begins with speaking on behalf of her co-workers, saying there are big things coming for the SEO.
“At this time, we do not have an internal job posting system for students to access, however, we are excited to announce that we have just begun the process of transitioning to a new job and internship platform” said Harney. “We look forward to sharing all that the new system has to offer, and we will notify all students when it is in place. In the meantime, we have a host of other job search strategies to share.”
Image: Dawn Harney, Job Developer at the SEO
4C’s provides students with many useful skills for applying to all different internships and jobs. “Each academic degree program or certificate program provides students with a set of skills and competencies specific to the career field being pursued” said Harney. “The SEO and Career Development provide specialized job search skills such as professional resume development, cover letter writing and interview tips.”
These great skills will keep 4C’s students excelling on their internship and job searches, but what if there is a student that doesn’t know their interests or the path that is right for them? Harney said there is no fret there, explaining 4C’s offers a course just for that.“Students may well benefit from taking College Experience – COL101” said Harney. “Areas of study include career planning, self-assessments and career interest inventories.”
Student’s will also need to take specific courses before partaking in an internship. “Before students participate in an internship for credit, they must complete certain pre-requisite courses” said Julian. “The pre-requisites courses vary in each major. Students can reach out to Ann-Marie Julian and/or their academic advisors for information regarding internship pre-requisites.”
Once the student is ready to talk with the SEO, they will need to get started on an application. The SEO provides great information for student’s resumes to stand out over other applicants.
“When searching for a job, tailor resumes to the position” said Harney. “Use keywords related to the industry. Most companies utilize automated software systems that scan resumes, making keywords an important part of a resume. Include your education, use an anticipated date of graduation if necessary. Volunteer, internship, and work study experiences should be included,” as well.
Julian adds to this, providing more useful tips for student’s applications. “When searching for an internship, it is important to have an updated resume to present to an employer” said Julian. “It is important to highlight your education with completed coursework and updated skills that can show an employer that you are prepared for the internship experience. Any volunteer, work study, research, tutoring, and supplemental instructor experiences should also be included. Any leadership roles in clubs and activities on campus will enhance your resume, too.”
Another plus to internships, other than helping students obtaining future jobs, is that there is the chance of getting paid. “Most internships are paid; however, some non-profit organizations do not pay their interns but provide invaluable hand-on work experiences” said Julian.
While 4C’s is staying remote at this time, Career Development and the SEO is available through email, phone, and zoom. “The office is operating remotely on Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00am – 4:00pm and can be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 774-330-4336” said Harney. And, she said, “we are pleased to announce that we have joined forces and we are offering a virtual internship and job search assistance meeting. Bring your questions about internships or job search strategies and let us know how we can help.”
“Students looking for internship information can email or call the Career Development Counselor, Ann-Marie Julian, at [email protected] or 774-330-4310 during office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm” said Julian.
This virtual internship and job search assistance meeting can be found in the zoom link provided in the image for this story. Julian added some more important things to keep in mind while thinking of internships. “Please keep in mind that students looking to participate in an internship for college credit must meet with their faculty supervisors and Ann-Marie Julian for internship approval and paperwork, and remember to plan ahead to allow sufficient time to complete the necessary steps to participate in an internship” said Julian. “Ideally start planning the semester before you enroll in an internship.”
“We want students to know that although we are not physically on campus, we are here and ready to assist” said Harney. The workers at the SEO “are excited about our Drop-In Zoom partnership and hope that students will take advantage of the opportunity to get their questions answered!”
Categories: Around Campus, People, Student Life