Locating the perfect internship or job can be like discovering the location of a needle in a haystack—that is, it can be painstakingly tedious, and ultimately, perhaps, quite discouraging. Amid all of the unrelated information on the Internet you have to find information about one or two opportunities. Oftentimes, however, this information can sometimes be buried beneath a mountain of other, unrelated, information. Fortunately, as a student, you have already developed many of the skills that will help you find an internship or job.
Skim!
One skill that students have, which makes them particularly adept researchers, is the ability to skim, and quickly recognize important facts located within vast amounts of information. When you are looking for jobs, regardless of whether you are using a job search agent like Indeed.com or CareerBuilder, skim! Move swiftly through the pages of job opportunities with a keen and discerning eye.
Be an Intrepid Researcher!
Students, naturally, are fantastic researchers. In particular, and especially nowadays, students have become excellent at using the Internet to do their research. It is important that you remember to use those skills when searching for both temporary and full-time employment opportunities! Approach the task of researching jobs just like you would if you were performing academic research: analyze your topic (i.e. examine what you are looking for in terms of a job); compose a thesis statement (i.e. identify specifically what kind of job you are seeking, and in what area); and then, go out and survey to see what information exists—that is, exploit every online resource possible while researching. Use Google, staffing agencies, and job search engines such as Indeed.com, LinkUp, or (if you have an interest in the non-profit sector) Idealist.org. Contact friends, your family, former coworkers, and begin to construct a reliable network of contacts. You cannot write an “A” paper without doing considerable amounts of research. Likewise, successfully finding a job or internship can require that one do significant amounts of research. When looking for a job, be methodical, exhaust every possibility, and leave no stone unturned.
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