Score a summer job, internship or career with help from the Center for Career and Civic Engagement’s graduate assistant

By Katie Levans

Center for Career and Civic Engagement graduate assistant

The End is Near, Nothing to Fear

I hate to break it to you, but this will not be a rant about the end of the world.

It may only be February, but with classes wrapping up at the end of April, this semester will be over before you know it. Time is flying by so quickly that if you so much as blink, you’ll wake up face down in a pile of textbooks during finals week with coffee drool down the side of your face and no idea where the past four months have gone. You know what I’m saying.

For some of you, we’re approaching the end of another school year. For the seniors, it’ll be the end of your college education. Either way, you need to get cracking on a plan for what’s next (and I don’t mean a trip to the beach). Whether you’re on the hunt for a part-time summer job or your first step into a full-time career, the Center for Career and Civic Engagement has you covered this month with three unique job fairs, each designed to meet the needs of a different job-seeking demographic. 

You’re Hired: Find Your First Job

Finding a job is tough. Finding a job in our current economic climate is tougher. Though unemployment rates have dropped since hitting a dismal 20-year high this time last year, competition on the career front is still fierce. More and more qualified candidates are vying for fewer jobs. That’s a problem, but there’s a solution too: set yourself up for success (and start sooner rather than later).  The Career Showcase is a place for you to learn about area companies and employment opportunities, to network with potential employers and to practice presenting yourself as a professional. We’ve done the hard part for you (getting the employers in one room at the same time). Do your part by practicing interview questions, dressing like you mean it and preparing a professional resume, and you’ll be well on your way to your first, “You’re hired!”

What Nobler Employment: Job Hunting for Teachers-to-Be

Cicero once said there is no employment more noble or more valuable to the state than that of the person who instructs the rising generation. It takes a special person to be a teacher, and it takes a special career fair to meet the needs of recruiting school districts and job-seeking education professionals. The Education Career Fair is designed to allow you to meet with school districts, apply and possibly interview for a teaching position all in the same day. The event is split into two sections: a morning of introductions and networking and an afternoon of interviews for qualified candidates. It’s an invaluable job-search tool for those entering the education field.

Endless Summer: Part-Time Jobs and Internships

A neverending summer has a rather intoxicating allure, wouldn’t you say? Unfortunately, your blissful days off will end just as surely as the temperature and leaves will drop. So, why not make your summer work for you with an experience that will expand your horizons far beyond a brief three-month blip in time. Part-time summer jobs and internships are an excellent way to gain practical hands-on experience that you can apply to future jobs, your studies and your life for years to come. Put in some time this summer and reap the benefits of your experience long after summer is gone.

Hopefully, one of these events will meet your needs. You can visit one fair or stop by all three. You never know who you’ll meet or what opportunities await.

For more information: stop by the Center for Career and Civic Engagement in Crawford, tweet them @winthrop_CCE or visit www.winthrop.edu/careers.