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It’s never too early for students to prepare for their job or internship search! And starting to search early can lead to many benefits. Starting to look for jobs or internships in the fall can help your student feel more confident. They’ll also be able to act quickly when they find something exciting. Here are a few ways your student can jump-start their search this fall.

Plan for career fairs

Encourage your student to connect with employers at career fairs this fall. These events offer a chance to virtually network and meet recruiters who are hiring.

Your student can review the schedule of upcoming career fairs and mark their calendar for the ones they’re interested in attending. They can sign up to attend career fairs on Handshake, CU’s online recruiting tool used by employers, and review the list of employers who will be attending.Ìý

Set up saved searchesÌý

Your student’s Handshake account is useful for finding internship and entry-level job postings. And their profile can help them build their network and find opportunities throughout their professional career. Having a completed profile on both platforms makes your student more likely to attract the attention of recruiters.

To get a jump-start on finding an internship or job, encourage your student to set up saved searches on both Handshake and LinkedIn. They’ll receive emails when positions are posted that meet their search criteria.

Work on application materials

When your student finds an internship or job posting that interests them, they’ll want to act quickly. It can help if they create a template resume and cover letter with all of their experience, skills and accomplishments. These core documents will serve as starting points so your student can tailor their experience and examples for each application. This can help save time and allow them to focus more on adapting their documents rather than starting from scratch.Ìý

As your student updates their resume for different applications, they can use VMock to get feedback and make improvements. This free online resume-review tool leverages data science, machine learning and natural language processing to provide personalized feedback on resumes. Feedback is based on criteria gathered from employers and global best practices.

Connect with others

Your student may feel like they don’t have a professional network yet, but most students do. A network includes previous employers, supervisors, advisors, professors, family friends, etc. Encourage your student to reach out and reconnect with people in their network to see if they know of any upcoming opportunities.Ìý

Your student can also spend time building professional relationships with others in their field of interest. They can join the to start connecting with CU Boulder alumni. Alumni can help with resume feedback and interview preparation. And some may be open to informational interviews or mentoring. Your student can also use to connect with others, learn about different industries and join conversations related to their career interests.

Dive in!

Job and internship searching can feel intimidating, but it’s important to just get started! Sometimes we may talk ourselves out of applying if we don’t think we meet all the qualifications listed on the description. If your student is interested in a position and thinks they can do it well, encourage them to apply—even if they don’t meet every single item on the list. Most employers will interview candidates if they meet most of their criteria.

It can take some time for students to find an internship or job that’s right for them. Encourage your student to stay patient and persistent. And Career Services is here to help every step of the way.

For more tips, encourage your student to check out weekly programs and workshops. These free workshops will share best practices for resumes, preparing for career fairs and more.