How to start your job or internship search
Now is the time to begin looking for a job or summer internship. While industries may follow different hiring timelines, many companies are actively recruiting CU Boulder students for a variety of positions. Career Services offers resources to help you in your search.
Use Handshake
Your CU Boulder Handshake account is ready for you! Career Services has customized tips and keyword searches for you to use to maximize your search. You can also use filters like job type and ‘remote opportunity’ and set up saved searches with criteria that match your interests. You’ll receive an email notification when employers post a new position that matches your search.
Take time to complete your Handshake profile to showcase your skills and experiences. When you have a more complete profile you are more likely to get job recommendations that match your skills, experience and preferences, and employers will be able to contact you directly about available opportunities. You can also use Handshake’s AI tool, Coco, to ask questions like: Where are interesting places to work in the Denver area? What industries are currently in high demand for people with my skills?
Plan to attend career fairs
Find opportunities and connect with employers at career fairs this spring. Career fairs are free online and in-person events where you can network and meet with recruiters who are hiring.
Review the schedule of upcoming career fairs and mark your calendar for the ones you’re interested in attending. Sign up to participate on Handshake and review the list of employers who will be attending.
Students with complete Handshake profiles have a better chance of meeting one-on-one with employers at virtual fairs. Review these steps to complete your Handshake profile, and make sure it’s on the ‘public’ setting so employers can view it.
Work on your application materials
You want to act fast when you find an internship or job posting of interest to you. It can help to create a template resume and cover letter with your experience, skills and accomplishments. These core documents give you a starting point to tailor your experience and examples for each application. You can save time and focus more on adapting your documents rather than starting from scratch each time.
Review tips from Career Services on how to perfect your resume and personalize your cover letter. These documents usually make the first impression with potential employers, so take the time to represent yourself well.
Meet with others
You may feel like you don’t have a professional network yet, but you may be surprised to know you already have one. Your network includes previous employers, supervisors, advisors, professors, family friends—anyone who has supported your career growth or has the potential to do so. Now is a great time to reconnect and see if they know of upcoming opportunities.
You can also build professional relationships with others in your field of interest. Join the Forever Buffs Network to start connecting with CU Boulder alumni. They can help with resume feedback and interview preparation. And some may be open to informational interviews or mentoring. Your LinkedIn profile can help you build your network and find opportunities throughout your professional career.
Start today
Job and internship searching can feel intimidating, but if you spend 10 minutes four times a week on your search, those small bits of time will add up before you know it. Sometimes, we may talk ourselves out of applying if we don’t think we meet all the qualifications listed in the description. If you’re interested in a position and believe you can do it well, apply—even if you don’t meet every item on the list. Most employers will interview candidates if they meet most of their criteria.
It can take some time to find an internship or job that’s right for you. Stay patient and persistent and know that Career Services is here to help you every step of the way.
For more tips, check out weekly programs and workshops from Career Services. These free workshops will share best practices for finding internships, preparing for career fairs and more.