The Career Center at Texas A&M University is a valuable resource to help your students as they search for jobs and internships. Here are some of their tips for success:
1. Start with introspection
It is important to start by having your student ask themselves some important questions so they know how to plan and prepare:
- What industry or industries are they investigating or interested in?
- What type of roles are they looking for?
- Why does this interest them?
- How can they show they will be a great candidate for this position?
Remember, it is not enough that they believe they are a strong candidate. They need to show it in a way that causes the employer to feel the same about their candidacy. Remember that using assessments could also help learn more about yourself and explore various opportunities.
2. Prepare Materials
There are many things that your student will need to prepare when starting the internship/job search process. The career center has multiple resources available to help students with those various materials. All the following can be found by visiting Texas A&M Career Center.
- Download a template and follow the Career Center’s step-by-step guide on how to create a resume.
- Get their resume reviewed by an automated resume reviewing tool.
- Set up an appointment to get their resume reviewed by one of the career center advisors.
- Download and use the Career Success Handbook for information on a wide variety of topics, such as cover letters, interview tips, and more.
- LinkedIn is a valuable resource and platform to help with networking. It is a social media platform built to support a professional environment for networking. Students should start building their online brand using LinkedIn. Check out the “Maximizing Your LinkedIn Impact” blog on the website to learn more about creating a stellar LinkedIn profile.
3. Networking
Through A&M, there are numerous tools that your student can use to network and apply for jobs. Encourage your student to check the jobs available through HireAggies. It is an exclusive resource for Texas A&M students, with over 60,000 jobs posted annually.
Career fairs are the most efficient way to network with recruiters as a student. There are around 18-20 career fairs each semester. Career Fairs typically occur in September and February of each academic year, with fall career fairs being the largest, so encourage your student to attend multiple fairs in both semesters!
The Association of Former Students offers a great tool called “Find An Aggie.” It is a searchable database for all current and former students of Texas A&M, where students can connect with professionals that are in their field of interest.
4. Stay Motivated
When your student starts applying to positions, they will experience rejections. When this happens, it is easy for them to feel like something is wrong with them. Remind them that numerous great candidates do not get the job because only one person will receive a particular position. Employers who are great fits for your student are out there. It will take time, effort, and “failures” to get the job/internship they are searching for, but it all pays off in the end.
Remind them to keep at it and use the Career Center if they need further assistance! You can contact this office at 979-845-5139 or by email: cc_advisor@tamu.edu. Also, don’t forget to connect on social media @HireAggies for more helpful career information!
For more information about the Texas A&M Career Center, please visit Texas A&M Career Center.
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