Three Tips For Successfully Landing The Summer Job

In the next 6 weeks, almost every student will be done with college for the year! How exciting! But for many students, that means going to work during the summer.

Whether it’s an internship or a job, it’s essential that college students get work experience during the summers. That experience is one of the biggest factors that employers look for after graduation.

So, for students that want a leg up, and some extra money, here are three key tips so that you can land that awesome summer job.

1. Be Transparent But Own The Job Hunt

The first step in landing that summer job is to own the job hunt but make sure that you’re transparent of what you want. If you’re looking for just a summer job, make sure you’re telling any potential employer that. It can harm you later if you’re not fully transparent about your intentions with an employer.

When I say own the job search, I means put yourself out there in every way. Reach out to your network – no matter how small. This can be friends and family, professors, teaching assistants, resident advisors, and more.

Social media is another great way to own your job hunt. Put yourself out there and connect with groups on Facebook and LinkedIn that may include alumni or potential companies to work for. And make sure that all of your profiles are up-to-date; they are all fair game for recruiters to view.

2. Check In At Your Career Center

 When starting your job search, make sure you check in at your college career center. Many businesses will partner with the career center specifically for college student jobs – and these businesses know that college students want and need summer employment. If you want to get connected with a business, the career center should be an early stop in your search.

3.Nail The Interview By Being Yourself

Finally, if you want to land that awesome summer job, you have to nail the interview. A common misconception that college students have is that they don’t have experience and good stories to tell. That’s just wrong.

Yes, you need to be yourself, but you also need to share your stories in a way that potential employers want to hear. For example, you can highlight any academic accomplishments, especially major projects or contributions. You can also share extracurricular activities, such as groups and clubs you’re a part of – even better if you’re a leader in them.

Don’t forget other experiences you may have: past jobs, volunteering, church work, and more.

Try to find 5-7 great stories that highlight areas employers will always look for: problem solving, communication, group work, and personal integrity/leadership. If you can share stories around these areas, you have a strong chance of nailing the interview and landing the job.