Dear Aunt Martha,
“With many internship opportunities being cancelled due to what’s going on, I’m not sure that I may be able to work this summer. What is another way that I can continue to expand my knowledge about industries or careers that I am interested in while not necessarily having hands-on experience?”
Sincerely,
A Determined Student
Dear Determined Student,
That’s a great question and an extremely relevant topic to the current situation many students’ have found themselves in. With many companies deciding to rescind internships in light of COVID-19, many students are scrambling to find a different internship that can be done remotely or are trying to figure out what other experiences may be available for the summer. If you’re a student looking to find resources on the different ways you can learn more about the career or industry you’re interested in, keep on reading!
Doing Research
One of the first things you can start with is simply doing your own research on the career or industry you’re interested in. Know any major companies within that field? Check out their websites and any journals they’ve published. You can read over those resources to learn more about what they do as a firm, and it also gives you an understanding of what kind of mission or culture that company has. Establishing this knowledge can help you further down the road when it comes to applying for a job or internship at a specific company. Should you be selected for an interview and present yourself as knowing a company’s mission and culture, and you are able to articulate that knowledge in your interview, it shows the recruiter that you’ve done your research and can set you apart from other candidates. Doing your own research can also narrow down your interests in a certain industry or even help you establish connections between your different passions! In addition, you can do research on what the up-and-coming trends are within your industry of interest. This isn’t just useful to know while you’re learning more about the industry, but consistently being up-to-date with industry trends also shows potential employers that you’re passionate and well-informed.
Connecting with Alumni & Industry Professionals
A great way students can learn more about a specific industry or career is to reach out to Alumni and industry professionals. Although it may seem daunting at first, connecting with industry professionals is a great way to learn about their journey, gain a first-hand perspective on a company’s culture, and get rich insight into what exactly a “day-in-the-life-of” in that career might entail. Cornell has several different online networking platforms that students can use to connect with alumni, which includes Handshake and CUeLinks. These two resources allow students to specifically message Cornell alumni and community members to ask about their experiences in graduate school, careers, and more. It also gives students the tools to establish professional relationships. In fact the Human Ecology Young Alumni Council is offering alumni-led webinars to students for free. These webinars are an opportunity for alumni to share valuable information and advice about their career experiences and finding internships and jobs, so make sure to check them out!
Another resource students can use is LinkedIn. Although this isn’t Cornell-specific, it’s still a great resource for students to connect with alumni and industry professionals and establish important connections. Before sending a request, make sure you have a solid LinkedIn profile with a clean photo and an articulate “experiences” section. Since your LinkedIn profile is like a “digital resume”, take care into what you include on your profile and how you describe yourself and your experiences. If people see that you’ve put work into your profile, they’ll be more willing to connect with you. Once your profile is ready, when you send a request to connect with someone, send a personalized request to the individual rather than a generic request message. Tell them who you are, your background and why you’re reaching out to them. This will show the person that you are focused and aware of what your connection means to them and yourself. Sometimes you might not get a response but don’t be discouraged! Some people may be extremely busy and others may simply not be interested. Don’t let this stop you from reaching out and building connections because you will eventually connect with someone who aligns with you, understands your passions, and is interested in what you have to offer. Lastly, it’s extremely important that you thank them for their time and assistance, both in writing (via email) and live (via Zoom or phone). You should always express gratitude to show that you truly value their willingness to help and in turn, they will appreciate that fact and may be willing to provide more help in the future.
Personal Projects & Exploration
One of the best ways to stay productive in skill-building and becoming more acclimated to what you may want to do in the future is pursue side projects. These can pertain to what you are learning in school, but they can also involve exploring new areas or fields that interest you. You can use personal projects as a means of learning more about what intrigues you, without being within a classroom environment. You can also use personal projects to learn more about what you may not want to do. Sometimes a part of finding out what piques your curiosity is finding out what doesn’t, and this is a completely normal part of the process. As an undergraduate university student, you aren’t expected to know exactly what you may want to do in the future, whether it be in further education or in a career. Nevertheless, freely pursuing and exploring other areas beyond your school concentration can in times be one of the most effective ways in discovering more about yourself. Build the bridge — however intertwined it may be — between where you are now and where you want to be.
We hope that some of these tips can help you navigate your career options during this time. If you still have any questions or just want someone to talk to regarding your career, feel free to reach out to our Career Assistants by signing up through Calendly! Even though we’ve transitioned online, our number one priority is helping students with career exploration. As always, stay safe and healthy!
Warm Regards,
Aunt Martha