During the presidential debate, Mitt Romney claimed that nearly 50% of new college graduates are unemployed. This may be a slight exaggeration, but it’s hard to argue that the job market isn’t looking grim for students of universities around the country.
Less jobs and more college students every year make it more and more competitive to get a job directly out of college. How can you separate yourself from the pack? Solidifying your GPA and loading up your resume with extracurricular activities are both important steps to take to improve your attractiveness to companies, but internships can help you stand out from your competition.
Internships aren’t just for business or economic majors; anyone in any major could use guidance from a person currently in the profession they’re pursuing. At the very least, it’s a way to make connections in your desired field while gaining experience. A positive internship can show an employer that you have been successful in the past. That being said, how can you get an internship? There are several tools around campus and off of it that can help you on your path to attaining one.
The first of these tools is University Career Services, specifically Careerolina. Careerolina has internship and job postings, as well as all the details you need to know about career fairs, recruiters on campus, and contact information for employers. Careerolina is also available to students after graduation, a useful aid for after college. Spending 15-20 minutes using this tool can get you off to a good start with your internship search.
When you’re applying for an internship, you need a detailed and professional resume. University Career Services has an optimal resume tool that contains several templates and formats for any type of resume a job application would require. By simply plugging in your general information, this optimal resume tool can create the resume you need to compete with other top applicants.
If you have a Facebook or Twitter, there are also several groups of accounts to follow that will provide you with up to date information on internships tailored to UNC students. Career Services has a few accounts specific to internships and there is a Facebook group titled “Jobs and Internships” that posts several times a day. Both of these social media outlets are another way you can stay connected to unique opportunities on campus.
Finding an internship can separate you from
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