Have a bit of free time this Spring Break? Get ahead of your professional development and career/internship searches with our CCO Spring Break Career To-Do List!
We can already read your mind, "can't I just relax during this downtime?" OF COURSE! Our list is full of easy to take steps and may leave you feeling more relaxed after you check things off the to-do list. Even if you only pick two or three things from our list, you'll still be making positive steps towards furthering your career.
Find current tips and trends on where to look for jobs or internships, self-improvement and career development all in one place! Our Spring Break Career To-Do List contains many of our professional development tools that are FREE to Purdue University students and alumni.
Internship/Job Search Checklist
Log onto myCCO and strive to spend a half hour exploring opportunities
Don' t know where to begin? Check out our easy to follow tutorial videos
Search for internships on Indiana Intern
A great spot to connect with Indiana employers for internships
Find jobs categorized by major on the Purdue University Career Research Portal
This FREE tool divides up jobs and career opportunities by major, and this source also lists job search engines and professional associations related to your field
Check out Glassdoor, and read up on it’s benefits over other job search engines
Create an action plan with goals and deadlines for your internship/job search process
Self-Improvement Checklist
Join a professional organization at the student rate
Professional associations allow you to learn more about career paths in your field, access salary data, attend conferences, but most importantly - get you connected to professionals in your field.
Update your Linkedin profile
Add in projects, awards and clubs. Make a goal to connect and follow up with 10 new contacts each month. Refer to our Linkedin blog post "Stressed, Blessed, and LinkedIn Obsessed"
Utilize social media to connect with professionals in your area of interest
Read blogs or articles in areas that pertain to your field and contribute to the conversation.
Career Development Checklist
Schedule an informational interview
Informational interviewing is a 10–30 minute phone or in person conversation that YOU conduct with someone working in a position or field that interests you
Not sure if you’re in the right major? Unsure of what careers you can do after graduating? Explore the CCO Career Compass
Plan to come to one of many career fairs happening this spring on-campus and virtually. To see the recruitment schedule, view our CCO Calendar
Educate yourself on salary information and job outlook in your field. Get up-to-date with salary, companies that have hired Purdue grads, and where Purdue students are going in each major and college with our interactive Data Dashboard
Watch our Career Spots Videos
A collection by the CCO of over 10 different short videos covering topics such as Resumes & Cover Letters, Networking & Your Personal Brand, Internships, Interview tips and Dress, Salary & Negotiation and Social Media & Job Search.
Scan through our Career-Planning handbook that’s chalk full of resources, advice, resume templates and more.
You deserve a break from running to classes and late study nights, but squeezing in a few of these tasks during your downtime this upcoming break can make all of the difference to help you finish off second semester strong! Have a safe and restful Spring Break Boilermakers!
As Always,
Boiler Up and Hammer Down!
- Lilli Cole
Know that the CCO is always here to help - stop by YONG 132 during our Drop-In hours, Mon-Fri 10am-4pm to meet with our Peer Consultants to discuss anything from mock interviews to resumes.
