PSA Winter Break Career Guide

While winter break is a great time to catch your breath after a busy fall semester, but it’s also an opportunity to advance your internship or job search. We provided some ideas for how you can do that below. Remember, you don’t need to do everything! Focus on 2 or 3 areas that best align with your current needs and goals.

Let us help – the Career Hub Career Consultants are available over winter break! Schedule an appointment through Handshake to meet with us about your resume, networking, job/internship searching, or any other career topic.

DEVELOP SKILLS

  • PARKER DEWEY MICRO-INTERNSHIPS Micro-internships are short projects (10 – 40 hours) that allow you to explore different organizations while getting real experience.
  • FORAGE VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES Gain skills that employers want by completing free projects on Forage.com from real companies. A certificate of completion is provided for each finished project. While winter break is an excellent time to recharge, it’s also a valuable opportunity to catch up on your career goals. Below are several ideas for making the most of your break, but you don’t need to do everything! Focus on 2 or 3 categories that best align with your current needs and goals.
  • LINKEDIN LEARNING SKILL CERTIFICATES Earn skill certificates on any topic ranging from web design to Python to project management on LinkedIn Learning, which you can access for free using your Indiana University login.
  • VOLUNTEER Helping your community is a great way to gain skills while also building your network. Choose an organization whose mission motivates you and focus on how to develop skills that boost your resume and future career. (If staying in Bloomington, check out this way to find volunteering opportunities!)
  • APPLY FOR JOBS & INTERNSHIPS
  • IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES Update your profile on Handshake. Explore that platform and other job boards to find positions you are interested in.
    1. Remember for federal government positions, check USAJobs DAILY! Make sure your federal resume is ready to go, and that you check in the morning – don’t rely on just the auto emails sent out.
    1. Non-Profits – make sure to check the
  • FIND AN INTERNAL ADVOCATE Reach out to someone in the organization to learn more about the position. Use the 2-Hour Job Search!
  • CREATE TAILORED MATERIALS Use VMock to perfect your format and make your accomplishment statements competitive. Then tailor your resume and cover letter for each position before applying; we can help! Make an appointment on Handshake.
  • TRACK YOUR APPLICATIONS Apply and keep track of your application information (e.g., date, job title, job description link, next steps, etc.). Use Teal or the Professional Development Tracking Form.
  • BUILD YOUR BRAND & NETWORK
  • ONLINE REPUTATION Adjust the privacy settings and content within your social media accounts. If it’s public, then recruiters are likely to see it.
  • LINKEDIN PROFILE Is your profile complete? Write a personal branding statement, upload a photo, and add rich media to your experience/project sections.
  • CREATE YOUR BUSINESS CARD Use HiHello to create and share your virtual business card through email, text, or social media.
  • CONDUCT INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS Use the 2 Hour Job Search Guide to help you.
  • SCHEDULE A JOB SHADOW Job shadows are unpaid work experiences that typically only last a few days. A job shadow is a great opportunity to visit a company to get a better understanding of their daily work routine—this will give you the chance to see someone doing a job that interests you.
  • SEND THANK YOU NOTES If you worked closely with any professors or faculty members last semester, send them a thank you note for helping you. Did you talk to any alumni or industry insiders? Take time to thank them. It’s important to highlight how this person impacted your experience by helping develop your interest or new insights within a specific subject. Be sure to hand write these notes because it’s more personal!
  • RELAX
  • Take care of yourself. Enjoy hobbies, catching up on sleep, reading for fun, watching movies, getting outside – whatever you enjoy. Prepare to come back for a great spring semester!