Getting EXCITED about getting EXPERIENCE

As the trees begin to blossom and the grass becomes greener every day, a lot of us are distracted by what is going on OUTSIDE. Spring semester is coming and going faster than we may think, and you may be thinking more about your summer or future break plans. The great news is we are here to help you figure out how to start gaining some experience OUTSIDE the classroom.

Your degree and classwork are very important to your career path, however they are not solely reflective of your skills. Classes are great for theorizing, time management, and providing background knowledge in your major. Gaining experience helps you to be more self-aware and discover what you are looking for in the future. You may enjoy working on a computer, but learn through an experience that you want to work more with people. This is always better to do sooner rather than later in what we call the “real world.”

Employers are consistently looking for work and relevant experience on a student’s resume. You can gain experience through a variety of ways, including: internships, externships, summer jobs, co-ops, volunteer experience, extra-curricular activities, student organizations and undergraduate research.

It is never too early to start gaining experience in your field of interest, so start as soon as you can! However, it is important for juniors and seniors to actively look for these experiences, as they are entering the work force much quicker than underclassmen.

Research before and during your experience searching is key. Be sure to understand the types of jobs that would be a good fit for your interest and skills. Once you have an understanding for what you are looking for, you can tailor your searches better. 

In keeping an open mind, learn to think beyond your major. Check out our post graduation report to see what other graduates are doing after graduation, and possibly what companies they are with as well.

Career Services has other resources that can help you in your job and internship search. All of these resources are linked through our website.

Hokies4Hire

• Hokies4Hire is a database that lets students search for co-ops, internships or full-time positions that have been posted by employers specifically looking to hire Hokies.
• The database also allows you to participate in the on campus-interviewing program, and post your resume to the online resume database.
•  https://www.myinterfase.com/vt/Account/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2fvt%2fstudent

Career Shift

• A comprehensive online resource that allows you to bring everything together to search for jobs in once place and you can save your searches. Great for location specific or industry specific searches and you can find contacts at a particular organization.
•  http://www.careershift.com/Default.aspx?sc=VT

GoinGlobal

• This resource allows you to search for international job postings and tips on relocating to a new country, as well as over 40 major U.S. cities.
• https://www.career.vt.edu/scripts/GoingGlobal/login.asp

The important thing to keep in mind when attaining these positions is to keep your options open. Know that there is no one-way to search for experiences and you can create your own path. But you never know where experiences might take you, with whom they might connect you, and what skills you will gain along the way!

To find out more about how to attain experience, start with this site: http://www.career.vt.edu/Experience.html