{"id":850,"date":"2021-01-06T12:00:03","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T18:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/?p=850"},"modified":"2020-08-07T12:09:25","modified_gmt":"2020-08-07T17:09:25","slug":"a-guide-to-starting-your-career-off-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/2021\/01\/06\/a-guide-to-starting-your-career-off-right\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Starting Your Career Off Right"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>It used to be that a college education in itself was enough to guarantee you a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/highest-paying-jobs-2018\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">high-paying job<\/a>\u00a0immediately after graduation. But with more and more Americans choosing to attend college, a degree alone unfortunately\u00a0doesn\u2019t cut it anymore. Increasingly, employers expect you to have internship experience\u00a0so that you come to your first job out of school ready to hit the ground running. We know that getting one can be tough, though \u2014 which is why we\u2019ve come up with a guide containing everything you need to know about how to get an internship.<\/p>\n<p>Follow our advice, and you\u2019ll get an offer in no time!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<h2 class=\"strong margTopXl\">Consider Your Qualifications<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>One of the most common misconceptions that students have about how to get an internship is that they must\u00a0apply to every position that catches their eye to increase their odds. But this is a sure-fire recipe for radio silence from recruiters and hiring managers. Instead, think about the skills and experience you currently possess, and which positions you might be a good fit for based on that information. A few ways to narrow down which internships are right for you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Think about your degree:<\/b>\u00a0Look up\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/20-most-popular-jobs-for-college-graduates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">common career fields and job titles<\/a>\u00a0for people with your major.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Consider your experience:\u00a0Think about your previous work experience, and which roles it might prepare you for. A student working at a campus newspaper might consider a journalism internship, while a student who tutors for a statistics class may want to look at data science internships.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Identify transferable skills:\u00a0Skills that help you succeed in school or in the student organizations you participate in \u2014 such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/organizing-your-job-search\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">organization<\/a>, critical thinking and time management \u2014 will all be useful in the working world. Some quick research should reveal which jobs require these skills.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Explore your interests:<\/b>\u00a0With how much time you spend at work, you want to make sure you enjoy it! Write down a few career fields that interest you, and search internships in those areas.<\/li>\n<li><b>Start small:<\/b>\u00a0Don\u2019t feel pressured to get your\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/dream-internship-into-career\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dream internship<\/a>\u00a0right away, especially if you have no prior work experience. Start by exploring small local organizations, groups affiliated with your school or volunteer work in order to bolster your resume.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"strong margTopXl\">Know Where to Look<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Once you have a more concrete idea of which internships would be the right fit, it\u2019s time to see what\u2019s out there! Here\u2019s how you can do that.<\/p>\n<p><b>Visit Job Sites:\u00a0<\/b>Websites like Glassdoor have millions of job listings, so you\u2019re bound to find something that\u2019s right for you. You can search for the internship titles you\u2019re interested in, and narrow results down by location, size, industry, company ratings and more. To get relevant results delivered to your inbox,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/mlp\/create-job-alert.htm?source=PR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">create a job alert<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>Use Your College\u2019s Career Resources:<\/b>\u00a0Almost all colleges have a career site where employers interested in hiring their students can post positions. Career and internship fairs can also be invaluable, as they allow you to connect face-to-face with hiring decision-makers.<\/p>\n<p><b>Leverage Your Network:\u00a0<\/b>Getting a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/how-to-ask-for-a-referral\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">personal recommendation<\/a>\u00a0can make all the difference in your internship search, so make sure to reach out to friends, family, colleagues, classmates, professors and alumni to see if they know anyone hiring. Another great strategy is to look up the companies you\u2019re interested in and reach out to employees there for an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/land-informational-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">informational interview<\/a>. You never know what opportunities it might lead to!<\/p>\n<p><b>Contact Companies Directly:\u00a0<\/b>If you have a dream company in mind, but they don\u2019t have any relevant internships, you can always try\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/guide\/letter-of-interest\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">writing them a letter of interest<\/a>\u00a0in hopes that they will either contact you when one opens\u00a0or even create a new one for you. It\u2019s more of a longshot than applying directly, but you\u2019ll never know if you don\u2019t try.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"strong margTopXl\">Prepare Your Application Materials<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>No matter what job you apply to, there are a few key materials you\u2019re going to want to have on hand. Here are the most common ones, and how to perfect them before you apply.<\/p>\n<p><b>Resume<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Resumes are brief documents that showcase your skills, education and professional background. Typically, resumes will contain your name and contact info, education, professional summary, work experience, skills and additional experience. If you\u2019ve never written a resume before,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/13-irresistible-resume-templates-to-download-now\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">using a template<\/a>\u00a0can be helpful.<\/p>\n<p>Some tips to keep in mind as you write your resume:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Use the STAR format \u2014 situation, task, action and result \u2014 in your work experience bullet points<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/resume-metrics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Quantify your impact<\/a>\u00a0whenever possible (e.g. \u2018Served 50-100 customers per day and handled a cash register that totaled over $1,000 a day in sales.\u2019)<\/li>\n<li>List your key wins and accomplishments, not just your day-to-day tasks<\/li>\n<li>Highlight meaningful extracurriculars &amp; awards<\/li>\n<li>Emphasize skills &amp; responsibilities found in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/guide\/how-to-read-a-job-description\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">job description<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Keep it clean, concise &amp; easy-to-read<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Cover Letter<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Cover letters add additional color and context to your application. It\u2019s important to note, though, that cover letters shouldn\u2019t just list what\u2019s on your resume \u2014\u00a0they should persuade whoever is reading the letter that you are uniquely right for the job. While not always mandatory, cover letters are almost always a good idea. They show that you are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/showing-passion-in-an-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">passionate about the opportunity<\/a>, and provide a more well-rounded picture of who you are as a candidate.<\/p>\n<p>Some tips to keep in mind as you write your cover letter:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Start with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/5-opening-lines-cover-letter-noticed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">unique opening line<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 anecdotes, quotes and fun facts are all good options<\/li>\n<li>Do some research into the company, and mention a few things you\u2019ve learned about it throughout the letter to showcase your knowledge of and passion for the organization<\/li>\n<li>Explain how your previous work experience has prepared you for this role<\/li>\n<li>Share a few ideas about how you would contribute to the company if hired<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/sales-cover-letter-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Customize<\/a>\u00a0your cover letter for each new job that you apply to<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Social Media Profiles<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Many recruiters\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/what-recruiters-look-at-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">use social media to research candidates<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 some may even require a link to your social media profiles. So if you haven\u2019t already, you may want to create a professional social media profile, especially on a networking site like LinkedIn.<\/p>\n<p>A few best practices to follow as you polish your social media presence:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Choose a professional headshot for your profile picture<\/li>\n<li>Add relevant work experience as applicable<\/li>\n<li>Keep it appropriate \u2014 delete any suggestive references or pictures<\/li>\n<li>Share and engage with relevant industry content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Online Portfolio<\/b><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re entering a creative field like web development, graphic design or writing, an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/online-portfolio-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">online portfolio<\/a>\u00a0is an excellent way to stand out from the crowd. Platforms like\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.squarespace.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Squarespace<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wix<\/a>\u00a0make it easy to put together a polished collection of your most notable projects and work samples.<\/p>\n<p>As you\u2019re creating your profile, remember:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Highlight the projects that most closely resemble the type of work you\u2019d like to do moving forward<\/li>\n<li>Describe the impact these projects had<\/li>\n<li>Feel free to add some color and design, but keep it clean and easy to read<\/li>\n<li>Update it frequently<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With your materials ready, you\u2019ll be ready to apply! It will likely take multiple tries, but if you keep at it, you\u2019re bound to eventually hear back from a recruiter or hiring manager hoping to set up an interview.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"strong margTopXl\">Interview Like an Expert<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Interviewing is often the process of the job search that people dread the most. But if you\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/prepared-for-job-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">adequately prepare<\/a>, it won\u2019t be nearly as intimidating. Before your interview, make sure to look up some basic information on the company \u2014 things like what products\/services they offer, who\u2019s on their leadership team, what milestones they\u2019ve reached recently, who their competitors are, etc. Any of these subjects are fair game in an interview, and not knowing the answer to one of them will show that you haven\u2019t done your due diligence.<\/p>\n<p>You can also use this information to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/the-45-questions-you-should-ask-in-every-job-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">come up with a few questions of your own<\/a>. Asking your interviewer specific questions about the company will show that you are passionate, curious and well-informed.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also want to research common interview questions beforehand. You can reference Glassdoor\u2019s list of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/common-interview-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">50 Most Common Interview Questions<\/a>, as well as search\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/Interview\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interview reviews<\/a>\u00a0for your job title and company on Glassdoor in order to see what real recruiters are asking candidates like you. Once you\u2019ve identified a few of the questions most likely to come up, practice them aloud with a friend.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips that can be applied to answering nearly any interview question:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Get specific:<\/b>\u00a0There\u2019s nothing interviewers find more frustrating than a vague or evasive answer, so when responding to a question, share specific ideas, examples and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/behavioral-interview-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">anecdotes<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><b>Think positive:\u00a0Always exude enthusiasm and optimism. No one wants to hire a candidate who makes it clear that this isn\u2019t their first-choice internship.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ask for time if necessary:<\/strong>\u00a0When faced with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/10-toughest-interview-questions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tough interview question<\/a>, sometimes your mind just goes blank. That\u2019s okay \u2014 it happens to the best of us! Rather than rushing through a half-baked answer, say \u201cThat\u2019s a good question, let me think about it for a second,\u201d and take a few moments to gather your thoughts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Be yourself:\u00a0<\/b>Students often get caught up thinking about what interviewers want to hear, but if you just tell somebody what you think you should, you risk coming off as artificial or maybe even ending up at an internship that isn\u2019t right for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"strong margTopXl\">Follow Up &amp; Finalize the Offer<\/h2>\n<div>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve gotten past your interview, breathe \u2014 the hard part is over! But your work isn\u2019t quite over just yet. To start with, you\u2019ll need to send a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/guide\/how-to-write-a-thank-you-letter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">thank-you note<\/a>\u00a0to anybody you spoke with. Thank-you notes show that you\u2019re organized and thoughtful, which both matter a great deal to employers. To write a great thank-you letter:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Send it within 24 hours<\/li>\n<li>Thank the interviewer for their time<\/li>\n<li>Mention what you enjoyed learning about the company<\/li>\n<li>End with a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/5-phrases-close-cover-letter-land-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">call-to-action<\/a>\u00a0that invites them to reach out to you for anything they might need<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Then, it\u2019s time to wait until an interviewer provides you with an update. If they don\u2019t reach out to you when they said they would, feel free to send a short check-in note \u2014 something like the following:<\/p>\n<p><em>Dear [contact name],<\/p>\n<p>I hope you\u2019re doing well. I wanted to follow up about the [job title] role. I really enjoyed meeting you and the team last week, and I\u2019m very interested in the opportunity. I\u2019d love to know if there\u2019s any further information I can provide during your hiring timeline.<\/p>\n<p>Thank you,<br \/>\n[Your name]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>With any luck, you\u2019ll get an internship offer from the company shortly afterwards. Most companies make it official by sending you an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/how-to-read-offer-letter\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">offer letter<\/a>, which you will be expected to sign and return to them. Look out for important details like start dates, responsibilities, pay and location. You should also ask if there\u2019s anything you can do between now and your start date in order to prepare for your role \u2014 you want to make sure to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.glassdoor.com\/blog\/starting-job-follow-306090-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">start off on the right foot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It used to be that a college education in itself was enough to guarantee you a\u00a0high-paying job\u00a0immediately after graduation. But with more and more Americans choosing to attend college, a degree alone unfortunately\u00a0doesn\u2019t cut it anymore. Increasingly, employers expect you to have internship experience\u00a0so that you come to your first job out of school ready [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":851,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,4,12,10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-850","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-advice","8":"category-interviewfeature","9":"category-resources","10":"category-tips"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/08\/blog-7.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=850"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/850\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":852,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/850\/revisions\/852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tntech.edu\/graduate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}