[Job Corner] Discovering Summer Internship Opportunities
[This email is targeting students who are currently seeking internships]
Dear MSF Students,
With the impact that COVID-19 is having on the global job market, it has brought upon many challenges for job seekers (and employers). As current graduate students, you may have to get creative with the job search channels you tap into and apply a strategy that is different from what you were used to when you were an undergraduate student. Being proactive is key when discovering opportunities.
Job search channels include internal job boards such as Handshake, external job boards such as LinkedIn and Indeed.com, your personal and professional connections (e.g. professors, career advisor, alumni, industry professionals and recruiters you have met, etc.), company websites, and 3rd party search firms.
To illustrate, some employers who are targeting Illinois students will post on our internal job board, Handshake so it's a good idea to frequently monitor Handshake. For example, here are a few internship opportunities with upcoming deadlines on Handshake:
As you know, many organizations may not post on Handshake but instead, post on other job boards such as LinkedIn. For example, here are a few from LinkedIn:
Also, for your target companies, feel free to directly visit their company website since some will only post their opportunities on their own website.
Note: Depending on what location you are targeting, we suggest you visit your target company’s website and filter by location especially if the company has offices in multiple countries.
In addition to Handshake, LinkedIn, company websites and your professional and personal connections, you may also want to check out additional resources such as:
NOTE: The above opportunities are only a sample to illustrate that not every employer recruits in the same manner. Many opportunities are not advertised and are only discovered from connecting and building relationships with people (the “hidden job market”) so continue reaching out to people (personal and professional connections).
Bottom Line: There’s plenty more out there so we encourage you to be resourceful and to conduct your own research since you know yourself best!
GIES CAREER SERVICES: Final Thoughts
- If you still seeking summer opportunities and would like to chat, please schedule a time to meet with a career advisor. Log into Gies Groups here to schedule an appointment. If you have a time-sensitive question or issue, you can always email me, Deb Hom at dhm@illinois.edu.
- This is a challenging time for all of us. Our advice is to continue applying the job search strategies you learned since arriving on campus. Focus on what you can control instead of what you cannot (e.g. continue building your skills and knowledge, build connections and reach out to existing connections).
- Even if you don’t receive any internship offers, that’s ok. What’s important is that you continue to invest in and develop your skills, knowledge and experience over the summer. Internships are only one way to build your skills and experience. While it is beneficial to intern over the summer, think of other ways you can continue to develop your skills and knowledge. In the past, we’ve had several MSF students develop their skills by completing an online certificate program or a course (e.g. Python, SQL, Advanced Excel, project management), assist a professor with research projects, work on-campus as a course assistant, or engage in remote work helping with short-term projects (e.g., websites such as Parker Dewey curates a list of projects)
- If you haven't already, please complete your Handshake profile, upload your resume to Handshake, update your Linkedin profile and update your resume with any recent experience (e.g. course projects? competitions? GPA? courses? certificates?). The more information you provide, the more likely you will show up in employers' search results!
- Remember to research if the company has any global offices in case you are considering opportunities outside the U.S. For example, if JP Morgan Chase is one of your target companies and your preferred location is China, then it’s a good idea to check out their China’s company website to learn more about their opportunities.
- One of the biggest regrets that students share with us is missing the application deadlines. Opportunities can come at any time and employers may pull their posting at any time (maybe they filled the role? Headcount was cut? etc.) so it’s best not to wait until the last minute. Stay organized and keep track of your target roles, companies and application deadlines. The more organized you are, the more in control you will feel while conducting your search.
If you have any questions or thoughts, please do not hesitate to reach out. Stay healthy and safe!
Regards,
Deb
Deborah Hom
Associate Director, Career Services
1033 Business Instructional Facility, 515 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign
217.300.3274 | dhm@illinois.edu
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