Now that you have figured out what you would like to do in summer 2023, how do you guarantee your goals come true — or at least set yourself up for success?
This is the question that must be asked sooner rather than later, especially with the Career Fair coming up on Sept. 12 and 13.
Firstly, check out the applications you are intrigued by! Most of the time, companies and groups advertise the requirements they hold and the expected timelines. By collecting information about all applications, you are able to focus on the pressing deadlines rather than shooting in the dark.
Furthermore, knowing all the requirements ahead of time allows you to batch process several documents such as writing a general cover letter for a few industries which is easily editable before submission.
There are a few key aspects of an application regardless of the position be it internship or research. The biggest is a resume! We should not need to stress its importance, however the Technique would be negligent if we didn’t.
Find a good format. There is no need to stand out with wacky colors or fonts, and there is something to be said about a simple, classic document.
Focus on the truth and yourself. Outline key experiences that have shaped your personality and skills and how they can be leveraged where you would like to work.
On average, resumes are preferred to be one page long. However, if the thought of doing so feels impossible, two page resumes are accepted (but do expect more scrutiny). It is easy to get caught up and fall down the rabbit hole of trying to game the system, but trust in yourself and your work to speak for itself.
In tandem, several online applications also request an optional cover letter, which is normally a page-long letter to the hiring manager where you advertise yourself directly to the company.
Seeing as the cover letter is normally attached to the resume, make sure you go beyond listing experiences and focus on the soft skills and development you got out of them. Appeal to their human nature while also showcasing your communication skills.
Rarely seen but still present, a curriculum vitae (CV) is sometimes requested in academia. In contrast to a resume, which is a curated page of experiences that are elaborated on, a CV lists all experiences that you have been through as a professional.
For CVs, expectations are to add information regarding yourself and how you interact with the school, professional societies, classes and clubs as well as presentations, projects and demos that you have worked on.
Tech hosts writing assistance in several forms. The Writing Lab in the CULC helps you get in contact with student editors that can make sure you are putting your best foot forward. The GT Career Center constantly holds workshops and can be utilized to advise students based on their prior experiences.
They are also a huge help outside of editing applications, providing preparations for interviews and even the job search itself.
Finally, career and academic counselors in your major may be able to assist you or at least get you in contact with someone who can.
With this, you should have the bulk of your application ready to submit. There may be scenarios for when a reference letter or additional information is requested, however they are fairly clear when providing details on how to submit them.
Submitting the application as early as possible assists when positions are released on a rolling basis and are also recommended if the company will be represented at the Career Fair, so you can get a head start on the conversation.