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Making the best use of changes at this time.
The world is full of changes in our patterns of life. These are certainly uneasy times that will be part of our world history. Each day brings more uncertainty and changes for all of us. We’ve seen the posts from family members, friends, and other parents of college students about their student losing their internship or job. Having graduation ceremonies canceled or postponed was a difficult pill to swallow but now some of our students have lost internships that were required for their degree and jobs they had lined up after graduation.
My own daughter had two strong potential jobs lined up only to have both no longer available at this time. She has had friends furloughed at their jobs. It is certainly not easy to prop them up when, right now, all of their hard work and effort seems like it will not lead to bigger and brighter possibilities. Notice I have said right now. I know it seems like our world has been turned upside down but now there is an end in sight! We don’t yet know how long it will take before we start seeing some semblance of a return to our former lives (although I believe getting fully back there might take longer), we do know there are things your student can be doing today that may help them down the road. They can start by reading How to Find a Job or Internship by Priscilla Beth Baker, an academic advisor at a large university and mom to two college-aged sons of her own. She is also a former high school English teacher and educational writer for Prestwick House Publishing. It also includes a link for finding housing should we return to in-person internships next summer.
Contact Career Services at your school.
There is virtual assistance with resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profile reviews. They can even set up appointments with a career coach. There are virtual services including help with writing their resumes.
Speak with their Professor
They can speak with professors they may know that taught a class they had or someone they may have connections with. Perhaps they will be able to offer assistance including sharing your student’s resume with their contacts.
Reach out to Alumni Groups
Many alumni groups have job search boards, mentors, and other ways to connect. Now is a great time to join either as a student or graduate. Check out our blog Benefits of Joining an Alumni Association.
Create an Online Presence
Make sure their social media profiles are cleaned up and working to their advantage. We share info on how students should brand themselves in our blog Branding – Why It’s Like a Tattoo For College Students. From their social media presence to creating an online website with tools, recommendations, and great tips, we turned to professional branding coach, Michelle Balaun, for her insight. This includes Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Universities also offer assistance with creating a social media presence but there are also resources available to help students get started. Learn more in this video overview of What LinkedIn Can Do for Students. Check out each university’s LinkedIn assistance to help students build a strong online presence.
Perhaps your student was considering getting a certification. They can become certified in computer software such as Photoshop, Java, SQL, Microsoft certifications for example. They can even take classes online for free. Check out Coursera as one resource. Maybe their next step is grad school. Perhaps they can start Preparing for Grad School Exams.
Finally, have them offer their services for tutoring, coding, photoshop, maybe creating websites, logo design, writing, and more at Fiverr®. Fiverr® is an online marketplace for freelance services that started in 2010 and got its name from the original price of jobs being $5 per task. This is a great place for students or their parents, to list the services they offer. You can offer services at more than $5
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