Job Search

Career & Professional Development | Students | Job Search

Finding a job or internship is more than submitting applications. Preparing your materials, exploring opportunities, building connections, and staying organized can make your search more effective. Whether you’re looking for a part-time job, internship, or full-time position, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

Three Steps to Get You Started

Step 1: Prepare Your Application Materials

Update your resume (Check out our resume resources)
Upload your resume to Handshake
Refresh your LinkedIn profile (Check outour LinkedIn resources)

Step 2: Know What You’re Looking For

Think about:

Industries
Job Functions
Locations
Schedule (part-time, internship, full-time)
Skills you want to develop

Step 3: Create a Search Plan

Set aside time each week to:

Search
Apply
Network
Follow Up

Part-time Job Search

Whether you’re looking for an on-campus job, off-campus employment, or flexible work while taking classes, a part-time position can help you build transferable skills, gain experience, and earn income while you’re in school.

Start your search with:

Handshake for on-campus and local opportunities
Local employers and company websites
Faculty and department opportunities

Part-Time Job Guide

Networking

Networking is simply building professional relationships. It isn’t asking strangers for a job. It’s having conversations, learning about different careers, and connecting with people who can offer advice, insight, and support throughout your career journey. Networking is not separate from your job search process it’s part of it.

Ways to Network

Attend career fairs
Connect with alumni on LinkedIn
Talk with faculty
Join professional organizations
Attend employer events

Informational Interviews

An informational interview is a conversation with someone working in a career you’re interested in. It’s an opportunity to learn about their role, organization, and career path while expanding your professional network.

How to conduct an Informational Interview

When to Look

Typical Recruiting Timeline
Summer through early spring

Internship recruiting continues to begin earlier each year, especially in competitive industries. Start researching opportunities and employers during the summer or early fall, and begin applying as positions become available. Don’t assume all internships are posted at the same time. Continue searching throughout the academic year.

Typical Recruiting Timeline
1-2 semesters before you hope to intern

Many employers begin recruiting the semester before the internship starts. Plan ahead and continue checking throughout the recruiting cycle, as some organizations hire closer to the start date.

Typical Recruiting Timeline
Fall through spring of your final year, depending on industry

The job search often takes several months, so start early if you have a target graduation date in mind. Some industries hire well in advance, while others recruit after internship programs conclude or closer to the desired start date. Continue applying even if you don’t receive an offer right away.

Typical Recruiting Timeline
One to eight weeks before the start date

Some organizations hire only when a position becomes available. This is common with smaller employers, nonprofits, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and many local businesses. Continue searching throughout the semester, even if you missed earlier recruiting cycles.

Recruiting timelines vary by industry and employer. Use this table as a general guide, but continue searching throughout the year. New opportunities are posted regularly, and some employers hire only when positions become available.

Not sure when employers in your field typically hire? Schedule an appointment with a career coach. We can help you understand recruiting timelines, identify key application periods, and build a search strategy based on your career goals.

Avoiding Job Scams

Jobs that require upfront payment or other personal details such as banking information or your social security number
Unsolicited recruiting emails with unfamiliar links, attachments, or very little detail from generic email addresses
Lots of spelling and grammatical errors in the job description
Quick offers without having an interview process
Too good to be true job details like very high salary or no set work schedules or arrangements
Any arrangement that requires you to pay money with the promise of making money

Research the organization online to make sure it’s legitimate
Look for employee profiles on LinkedIn to verify employment with the company
Make sure to complete an interview process to meet with your potential team and managers before accepting any offers
If you’re still unsure, reach out to CPD and we can help determine the legitimacy of a job posting, or reach out to report a job scam