Applying for jobs, internships, and volunteer positions can be daunting. Their application processes can be long and intimidating, but opportunity hunting is an essential skill that all students must learn before they graduate. The following tips can help.
CV and Résumé
Many students make the mistake of using one résumé for every application. Although a template is convenient, students should tailor each resume to the job posting. If it calls for a “good communicator” and “team player,” repeat these words on your résumé. Addressing the requirements in the job posting is key.
Students often fall short on the Experience section. They either lack relevant experience or present it in a way that employers might overlook.
If you don’t have a lot of work experience, you can rectify this by talking more extensively about your student experiences. To improve your professional image, mention club involvement, completed assignments, grades and GPAs, and courses that you’ve taken. When I applied for a technical writer intern position at a tech company, I included a technical writing course called “Digesting Technical Information” to make up for my lack of experience.
Students are sometimes wary of putting school experience in their résumés because they think employers don’t value it. Frame your experiences professionally and try to move out of the “student” box. Consider having a Projects Completed section highlighting key assignments instead of putting everything under Education. I have a class where we conduct workshops for real-life clients; this goes under Projects rather than Education. I also give each project a descriptive title, along with the class name.
Overall, be conscious of what employers are asking of you and ensure that your résumé reflects that properly.
Job Interviews
It’s important to do your research and prepare for key questions. Some questions that are almost always asked for entry-level jobs and internships include:
- Tell me about yourself. This is your opportunity to sell yourself to the employer. Talk about relevant education, experience, and projects, but ensure everything you say interests the interviewer. Organize your answer chronologically, but your final thought should express what brought you to the interview and why you are qualified for the position.
- What do you know about this company? Research the company, but don’t reiterate their About page. Employers want to see if you fit the company, so convey how you identify with their values. Point out parts of their mission statement or corporate history that you find interesting and can relate to.
- What are your strengths and weaknesses? For strengths, capitalize on a strength that fits the position the most. For weakness, inform your employer how you’ll rectify the weakness or how you can turn it into a strength.
- Give an example of a time when…. You can’t predict exactly which situations they’ll want examples for, so prepare scenarios that fit multiple prompts. For example, prepare a scenario that exemplifies leadership, but also teamwork and conflict management.
Looking for Opportunities
Current students and recent graduates often have trouble finding jobs because they don’t know what to look for. For example, many students are unaware that technical writing is a career, so they never include it in their search terms. Always research your degree and the possible career paths.
Diversify your search terms. If you’re looking for a technical writing position, don’t just enter “technical writer” into your search. Broaden your search term (writer, content creator, documentation specialist) if you’re finding few results, or be more specific (proposal writer, science writer) to find postings that might not show up otherwise.
Finally, give yourself time to look for positions. Finding the right position can take months, so don’t stress if it takes some time.
Ulysses Aganon is an English and Professional Writing student and an aspiring technical writer. He has worked as a technical writing intern for Ericsson Telecommunications Ltd. and is currently an intern for STC Canada West Coast. He lives in Mississauga, Ontario.