Tag: preparation

What is an Education Major and is it Right for Me?

Do you love helping people and spreading knowledge? Are you passionate about a specific academic subject (or subjects)? If so, an education major might be for you.

What is an education major?

An education major is designed to help college students develop the skills to teach others. Combining the ability to create engaging lessons with the desire to spread knowledge, this major is all about learning the most effective ways to become a teacher. Typical classes in this major include educational psychology, history of education and public policy classes.

Is it right for me?

Fast-moving and always changing, the field of education is best suited for someone who welcomes challenges and looks for variety in their work. An educator’s job never stops; you can never truly know where your influence on others will begin or end and choosing this as a career means that you are dedicated to continually helping others grow intellectually and socially.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when deciding if an education major is right for you:

  • Am I creative? Do I enjoy looking at something from a variety of perspectives and discovering ways to connect divergent topics?
  • Am I curious? Do I constantly seek out new technologies, research and ideas?
  • Am I communicative? Do I listen with the intent to understand others when they are speaking and then find ways to relay information for a diverse population in a manner that they can relate to?
  • Am I conscientious? Do I make a concerted effort to know the purpose behind my actions and reflect on ways to continually grow?
  • Am I compassionate? Do I empathize with others and seek to improve the state of the world for all around me?

If you responded “Yes” to all of the above questions, then being an education major might be for you.

What can I do with an education degree?

Although teaching is the obvious career path for those in the field of education, education majors are not limited to teaching once they receive their degree. Education majors can look into positions and graduate degrees involving:

  • library sciences
  • instructional technology
  • special education
  • administration
  • curriculum design
  • counseling
  • educational development
  • managerial training
  • …and more

What do educators earn?

Although this is probably not surprising, most careers in education don’t pay a great deal of money. The average salary for an elementary or high school teacher is $45,000. However, the average salary goes up significantly for educators working at the university level, with full-time professors earning an average of $114,000.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What Types of Skills Are Best for an Education Major? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How Much Should I be Paid at an Entry-Level Job?

Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Business Majors

Being a business major opens up doors to all sorts of professional opportunities. In fact, business majors are among the most employable groups of recent grads. But with so many opportunities, picking a career path might seem a bit overwhelming. One way to narrow your focus is by taking on a paid or unpaid internship during your time in college. This will help you build some great skills while also helping you identify the type of career that’s right for you. In the process, it will give you a better idea of what type of entry-level job to apply for.

Here are some of the most common entry-level jobs for business majors:

Financial analyst

If you’re a business major with an interest in finance, a job as a financial analyst could be a great fit for you. This position is one of the most popular entry-level roles in the financial services industry and one that exists at any number of organizations including banks, security firms and even insurance companies. By becoming a financial analyst, you’ll get a chance to look into the performance of stocks, bonds and other relevant investments.

Sales representative

If you’re a pro at understanding the needs of a customer and turning that into a sale, a career as a sales representative might be right up your alley. Depending on the type of company you work for, you’ll be responsible for selling products to individuals, other companies or government organizations. From seeking out potential customers to closing sales and fostering long-term relationships, you’ll be making the most of your people skills while helping the company to increase its revenue.

Human resources assistant

As a human resource assistant, you’ll assist with hiring and onboarding employees as well as troubleshooting issues between managers and employees. In this role, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that employers and employees have a good working relationship and that the company is operating smoothly. You’ll also help out with preparing and conducting training programs.

Marketing coordinator

As a marketing coordinator, you’ll be making a product or company more marketable by highlighting its value to potential customers and to the media. In this role, you’ll be preparing marketing materials, assisting with marketing campaigns and helping to coordinate publicity events. This is a great opportunity to learn all about how marketing works and to develop strategies to market a company or product effectively.

Assistant buyer

As an assistant buyer, you’ll be evaluating suppliers, purchasing supplies, obtaining price proposals and ensuring that products arrive on time. You’ll also be expected to balance product quality with company budgets and to have a clear sense of how purchasing decisions fit into the company’s overall operations.

Brand marketing assistant

As a brand marketing assistant, you’ll learn to be savvy about current market conditions by reviewing reports and studying market trends. You’ll also prepare presentations and reports detailing the performance of a brand as well as its design and marketing strategy.

Operations research analyst

As an operations research analyst, you’ll be involved in various parts of the organization and will be using statistics, mathematical modeling and other analytical techniques to solve emerging problems and help senior management gather the information they need to make operational decisions.

As a business major, your career options are both extensive and exciting. In order to ensure that you pick a position that’s right for you, it’s important to figure out where your interests lie and to pursue a role that you’re passionate about. Whether that ends up a financial analyst or a marketing coordinator, the skills you’ve developed as a business major will definitely help you shine.

Next, learn more about this college major such as the Types of Internships for a Business Major and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look For in a Company.

Types of Internships for Arts Majors

As an arts major, you may be wondering how your passion for art factors into the real world. The good news is that because of the many and varied skills you develop during your major, there are a lot of career opportunities available to you after graduation. Not sure what you want to do? An internship is the best way to explore all of your options and gain some professional experience.

Here are just a few of the best internships for arts majors:

Art gallery intern

As an art gallery intern, your responsibilities vary from clerical, communications-related tasks to those that are more organizational. This internship will familiarize you with the setting and running of an art gallery — from maintaining the gallery space to communicating with national and local artists. You may assist with gallery exhibitions in every capacity from installing artwork to adjusting the lightwork and eventually dismantling, repackaging and shipping the exhibits to another gallery. You will also get to build your professional exposure to the art world with duties such as researching and compiling information about artists, looking into art sale techniques and engaging guests during shows.

Art therapy intern

Whether you have previous clinical experience or not, as an art therapy intern you’ll be shadowing certified art therapists in group sessions. You may assist in the logistics of the session and gain experience as a part of a team of professionals. By working as an art therapy intern, you’ll also be exposed to the use of creative and expressive arts in settings such as a hospital, community and youth care or rehabilitation facility. This is a great opportunity to use your skills to help others and to learn the real impact of art in a clinical setting.

Graphic design intern

A graphic design internship is great exposure to the field of graphic, and a step up the ladder towards a full-time job after graduation. You could get accepted for a graphic design internship at an ad agency, a corporate firm or an art studio. During your internship, you will be assisting a graphic designer in designing prototypes, logos, social media graphics, flyers or whatever the organization requires.

Photography intern

Whether you’re capturing a candid of the bride in an extravagant wedding or researching stock photos to accompany a magazine article, a photography internship involves a great deal of hands-on experience, collaboration and insight. You could be employed at an in-house studio, a magazine or a newspaper. There’s a lot you can learn on the job, from the extent of communication required with related departments such as costume & make-up to what it takes to organize and categorize photo submissions or assist in print production.

Marketing intern

Your creative insight and discipline as an artist will come in handy in a marketing internship. Whether you are interning for a marketing organization or a marketing division of a huge corporate company, a marketing internship gives you more than a general idea about the marketing industry. From writing copy to working on concept creation or even to a stint in a public relations department, you’ll be able to experience several facets of the marketing industry and apply your creative skill to each one.

From knowing the story behind every nook in an art gallery to researching a rare sculpture, or creating a great design, an internship is a wonderful and safe space for art majors to explore, learn and re-invent themselves.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is an Arts Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Top 10 Things You Should Look for in an Internship.

Types of Internships for Design Majors

One of the best things about being a design major is the ability to develop a broad range of technical and creative skills. And although design is considered primarily a creative field, these skills can have practical applications in multiple professions. The best way to find out which profession is right for you is by doing an internship. This will offer you some insights into different career paths while also giving you the type of hands-on experience that will make you a competitive candidate after graduation.

Here are some of the most common internships for design majors:

Graphic design intern

A graphic design internship will give you the chance to learn about graphic design, a field dedicated to communicating ideas visually. As a graphic design intern, you’ll assist with technical tasks such as creating hard and soft copy files, writing reports and mailing, printing and stuffing materials. You’ll also shadow a graphic designer, attend meetings, compile databases and assist the design team with creative work related to existing projects. During your internship, you’ll learn how to turn creative processes into practical ones and you’ll also develop the ability to think on your feet and get organized in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

UX design intern

The UX in UX design stands for user experience, and this is what a UX design internship focuses on. During your internship, you’ll learn what goes into ensuring that the user experience of a particular website is as smooth, easy, comfortable and all-around amazing as possible. As an intern, you’ll learn how to create responsive app or digital product designs and you’ll understand exactly how much knowledge and effort goes into every step of the UX design process.

Interior design intern

An interior design internship will acquaint you with the various skills and technicalities involved in an interior design career. From note-taking during client meetings, to organizing and coordinating materials, visiting vendors and answering emails, you’ll be involved in every aspect of the role. You’ll also assist with the actual design process, learning to tailor designs according to client interests, budgets and overall feasibility. It’s an experience that will help you decide if you have the inclination and skills required to make it as a full-time interior designer.

Fashion design intern

A fashion design internship offers you a behind-the-scenes look into the world of fashion. From cutting fabric to planning model fittings and managing the logistics of fashion events, this internship will give you an in-depth look at everything involved in designing and manufacturing clothes. Whether you’re working for a store brand or a large fashion house, this experience will help you build the skills you need to work in fashion.

Design internships can be both informative and fulfilling, making the most of your creativity, drive and ambition. By taking on one or more of these internships during your time in college, you’ll be able to learn the ins and outs of a design-related profession and to find a career path that’s just right for you.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Design Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Become a Confident Public Speaker.

Why Investment Banking is a Great Field for Recent Graduates

Investment banking is a popular field for recent graduates, particularly among business and finance majors. Although it’s definitely a competitive field, a lot of its appeal comes from the fact that it’s also a field with a lot of opportunities and a high earning potential. If you’ve already gotten a general idea of what investment banking is and how you can become an investment banker, then you’re probably interested in what you can get out of it and how this can shape your career path in the long term.

Here are some of the reasons why investment banking is a great field for recent graduates.

You’ll learn a lot very quickly

Due to its fast-paced nature, investment banking offers a lot of opportunities for learning and skill building, particularly in the areas of business and finance. From the moment you start your first entry-level job (or internship) you’ll be exposed to a lot of information about financial trends and markets, as well as information about what makes businesses sustainable. Beyond that, you’ll also be able to learn soft skills like communication, self-confidence and the ability to handle critical feedback. These are skills that can take years to develop in other professional industries and learning them quickly means that you’re likely to advance much faster in your career as a result of having these experiences.

Your earning potential will be among the highest of any recent graduate

If you’ve done your research on investment banking, then you know that it’s a field with a very high earning potential. In fact, as an entry-level financial analyst, you’ll start off earning anywhere from $100,000-$125,000 (including bonuses) in your first year. After two years in a financial analyst role, your earning potential will go up to $150,000 to $250,000 and will increase significantly with each year of additional experience. By the time you become a vice president or managing director, you’ll be earning upwards of $650,000.

You’ll develop transferrable skills that you can use in any profession

Although many investment bankers choose to stay in the industry and progress through the career track from financial analyst to managing director, other bankers decide to move into related areas of finance like private hedge funds or they choose to leave finance entirely to run or advise startups. Regardless of what you decide to do later on in your career, the skills and business savvy you develop as an investment banker will help you transition into almost any other professional industry. This is great news for entrepreneurs who are interested in running their own businesses but want to build up their knowledge and skill set first.

You’ll develop a strong professional network

Having a strong professional network is incredibly important as you move through your career, and being able to build that network early on will serve you well for years to come. As an added bonus, because investment bankers often move into other fields as they advance in their careers, you’re likely to come across former colleagues no matter where you end up.

Starting an investment banking career as a recent graduate is a great way to develop general business knowledge and skills that can transfer to any other professional industry. So whether you’re a business major or a history major, there’s likely to be an entry-level opportunity that’s right for you.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Get a Mentor at Work and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Strengths?

Types of Internships for Business Majors

One of the best things about being a business major is that makes you a competitive candidate in almost any professional field. But with some many fields to choose from, how do you decide what career path to take? An internship is a great way to figure this out, while also gaining significant hands-on experience.

Here are some of the most common internships for business majors:

Product marketing internship

If you’re interested in marketing and want to learn more about this field, a product marketing internship can offer you the chance to learn a lot about the field while also picking up some new skills. During this internship you’ll be learning the basics of marketing by gathering data on market trends, analyzing and interpreting product feedback and studying the marketing strategies of competitors. This is a great chance to learn how to market a product and to understand the challenges of selling a product in a competitive marketplace.

Sales and marketing internship

A sales and marketing internship is usually a role that you’ll encounter at smaller companies and startups where these roles are sometimes combined. This type of internship gives you experience with marketing but also focuses on selling a product directly to a consumer. From observing sales calls made by managers to preparing presentations for clients and assisting with new and ongoing campaigns, this internship will give you with insights on the ups and downs of a career in sales and marketing.

Business management internship

From project management to analysis of sales, there’s a lot to learn in a business management internship. Among other things, you’ll assist with developing tools, conducting analyses and discussing business strategy with the team. But your role doesn’t end there. In fact, because this type of internship relates to the broader needs of a business in general, you’ll be getting an overview of what’s involved in running a business and getting a real hands-on field for everything from finance to operations.

Business consulting internship

Whether as part of a marketing, human resources, management or accounting team, business consulting interns assist business consultants in gathering data or materials for analysis and recommendations. As a business consulting intern, you’ll be sharpening your problem-solving skills and knowledge of business models, while also making an impact to the organization.

Management consulting internship

Whether you’re a management consulting intern for a consulting firm or for a financial services organization, during this internship you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to research, compile and present information. You’ll also assist in implementing changes to the project or team structure. This is a great internship for someone who is interested in going into management consulting after graduation.

Business development internship

As a business development intern, you’ll assist in market research and partnership development. You’ll also help to build business relationships with clients and partners and contribute to the overall growth of the organization. During this internship, you’ll learn about all the factors involved in building a successful business and get a feeling for how to run a business of your own.

Business majors are among the most sought-after candidates in any professional field. But with so many options to choose from, picking a career might seem a bit overwhelming. By taking on one or more of these internships during your time in college, you’ll be able to pick up some great skills and find a career path that’s just right for you.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Ultimate Guide to Dealing with Multiple Internship Offers and find answers to common interview questions such as How to Answer: What Type of Environment Do You Prefer?.

Types of Entry-Level Jobs for Communications Majors

Being a communications major means learning all about the best ways to communicate effectively and help brands get their message across. And because these skills can be applied to multiple industries, communications majors are in high demand in almost every industry. If you’ve already learned about the most popular types of internships for communications majors, then you might be wondering what comes next. Are there just as many opportunities after graduation? The answer is yes.

Here are some of the best entry-level jobs for communications majors:

Marketing coordinator

As a marketing coordinator, you’ll develop marketing materials and assist with both internal and external communications. You’ll also help coordinate timelines and goals for the executive team and assist with their implementation. This is a job that requires a sound knowledge of marketing models, and even better communication and leadership skills.

Client services representative

A client services representative acts as an intermediary for the company and its clients, assisting the client with transactions, setting up meetings and ensuring customer satisfaction. In this position, you’ll be communicating with the client on behalf of the company, relaying important messages and ensuring a smooth working relationship.

Public relations assistant

As a public relations assistant, you’ll coordinate and review press releases, and help organize publicity events, campaigns and presentations geared towards maintaining a positive image for a company or brand. You might work on multiple projects, or in multiple capacities, often in a fast-paced environment that keeps you on your toes.

Editorial assistant

As an editorial assistant, you’ll coordinate editorial timelines ensuring that workflow between writers and editors is smooth and efficient. As part of your tasks, you’ll be communicating with writers to provide their assignments and following up to ensure that they submit on time. In smaller companies, you might also take on writing tasks, utilizing both your writing and administrative abilities.

Associate brand manager

As an associate brand manager, you’ll conduct initial market research and position the product you’re promoting in relation to similar products on the market. You’ll also develop marketing strategies aimed to increase the brand’s reach to its target audience. This position requires a solid understanding of the brand you’re promoting and its value in the marketplace.

Social media coordinator

As a social media coordinator, you’ll do more than just post to Facebook and Instagram. You’ll also interact with the brand’s online community, analyze the reach of different kinds of media and optimize social media campaigns for individual platforms. As the digital voice of the brand, you’ll be helping social media managers engage the brand’s audience effectively and learning how to capitalize on media trends along the way.

Irrespective of the field they choose to work in, communications majors play an important role in maintaining relationships between businesses and consumers, communicating with those audiences and presenting information. They get the message out there, resolve problems and analyze feedback. With all of those skills at their fingertips, it’s no wonder that communications majors are so sought after in workforce.

Next, learn more about this college major such as What is a Communications Major and is it Right for Me? and get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Tell Me About an Accomplishment That You’re Most Proud Of.

Advanced Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out

One of the first steps to landing a great job is writing a strong resume. If you haven’t done this before, the idea might sound a bit intimidating at first, but it doesn’t have to be. The key to writing a great resume is understanding the best ways to highlight your skills and experience and condensing that down to a brief, effective format.

Here are some advanced tips to follow if you want your resume to really stand out.

1. Do some research on what resumes in your industry or discipline look like.

Believe it or not, not all resumes are the same. Industries have different standards, ranging from the details employers want to see to overall resume organization. The best way to figure out which format is right for your industry is to find someone who works in your desired field and ask them for tips. You can also ask if you can use their resume as a guide. Good people to ask include professors, your parents and older friends who have internships or full-time jobs in your field.

Below are some sample questions you should ask as you do your research:

Question Most resumes should have… But not always
How many pages should my resume be? Most resumes should be one page only. In academia (if you’re trying to be a professor), multi-page resumes are common.
Should I include leadership experience from high school on my resume? Most resumes should not include anything from high school, including where you went to high school. If you’re a freshman or sophomore, you can still include just the highlights of the most impactful things you did in high school.
Do I need to include any grades or scores besides my GPA? Most resumes should include your GPA (unless it’s below 3.0) and don’t require any other scores. Finance and consulting recruiters often ask for your SAT scores, broken out by section.
What sections should I include on my resume? Most resumes should have an education section, followed by work experience. Leadership/volunteer experience, hobbies and skills may follow. Engineering recruiters often want to see the projects you’ve worked on, and it can be helpful to have a section on your resume listing out completed projects.
How should my resume look? What color should it be? Most resumes should be simple black and white, with the most common format. Design recruiters may appreciate visually distinctive and creative resumes, due to the inherent creativity involved in design jobs.

While you’re meeting with these people to do your research, bring your list of achievements with you, and ask them which ones they find to be the most impressive. Remember, your resume isn’t about what you think is great — it’s about the recruiter that you’re trying to impress and people with industry knowledge are more likely have a sense of what accomplishments will have the most impact.

2. Decide on your “story” — what are you trying to get across?

Think of your resume as a story. It’s a (usually) one-page opportunity for you to tell a story about yourself to recruiters. As much as it might be painful, think back to when you were applying to college. When writing your college essays, you had to decide what slice of yourself you wanted to share with admissions officers, and what qualities you wanted to highlight. This is very much the same thing, but your story is written in bullet points rather than paragraphs.

You should come up with a list of 5-7 attributes and skills that you want to get across to a particular employer. These attributes will almost definitely change for each industry, and sometimes for each employer. However, customizing your resume slightly for every company is one of the best ways to get noticed and it’s definitely worth the time investment.

Here are some examples you can use:

  • Consulting: leadership, achievement, impact, data analysis, social skills, hustle
  • Engineering: independence, attention to detail, technical skills, quick learner, follows tasks through to completion, empathy
  • Marketing: creativity, empathy, design skills, social skills, data analysis, impact

3. Find a resume template you like and fill it out.

You’ve done your research and you have a story to tell — you now know what you’re saying, who you’re saying it to, and how to say it. Now all you have to do is fill out your resume. Using sample resumes you’ve collected from people in your desired industry, determine the structure you’ll need in your resume and then fill it out accordingly.

Compile a list of the impressive things you’ve done, choosing the top items for each section and filling them out. For sections that require bullet points like work experience, leadership experience, volunteering experience or projects, add 1–3 bullet points for each item explaining what you’ve done. As you’re choosing what experiences to include and what bullet points to write, think back to the story you’re trying to tell, and ensure that each line of your resume shows off at least one of those attributes. Think about how you can make it sound impressive; anything can sound great when you word it correctly.

* Be specific — include details.

Don’t just say, as an example, “Completed three projects and various tasks as part of my job.” Explain exactly what you did and how you did it.

Example: “Designed new classification system for the entire office’s customer management system according to NAICS.” (Shows: attention to detail, organization and following tasks through to completion)

* Be concise.

You have very limited room on your resume, so every word is precious. Make sure every line is showing off the best you have to offer and demonstrating at least one of the attributes related to your story.

Improving the above example: “Independently restructured office’s customer management system according to NAICS.”

* Explain. Don’t assume they know what you’re talking about.

It’s easy to forget that employers won’t know the acronyms at your school, clubs or internship experiences. If you’re going to use an acronym, make sure you say what it is in parentheses the first time. Not everyone will be familiar with the systems, tools, programs or organizations you might be referring to.

Improving the above example: “Independently restructured office’s customer management system using NAICS federal industry classifications.”

* Show impact. Use numbers when possible.

It’s not enough just to say what you did, you really shine when you show off the impact that you made. Don’t just say you led a fundraiser, say how much you raised. Don’t just say you were a division head at camp, talk about how many campers and staff you were responsible for. Don’t just say that you found a way to save your company money — say how much money you saved, and why it was important.

Improving the above example: “Restructured office’s customer management system using NAICS industry classification, reducing customer service response times by 20% through improved request routing.”

4. Get someone else to review.

Have others review your resume including friends, Career Services and especially those in your industry. Take their feedback to heart and make edits accordingly. Again, your resume isn’t about what you think, it’s about what others take away from the story you’re telling. Pay particular attention to whether the people you’re showing your resume to understand everything you’ve written, can see the impact that you’ve made everywhere you’ve worked, and are picking up on all 5-7 attributes you intended to include.

Once you’re done, save your resume as “Resume – <First Name> <Last Name>.pdf” and send it out, knowing that you’ve done a great job.

Just as you’re always changing and doing new things, your resume is a living story. Make sure you always update it as you accomplish new things. You should also customize your resume for every industry you apply to, following the above process (for the companies you really care about, you may want to customize it for the specific company.)

By following these advanced tips, you’ll be sure to write a great resume and set yourself apart during the job hunt. And don’t forget to create a digital version of your resume with an easy and effective WayUp profile.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Thank You Note After An Interview and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell Me About an Accomplishment That You’re Most Proud Of.

How to Use Your WayUp Profile As a Resume

If you’re just starting your job search for your first internship or entry-level job, you probably have some questions about the best way to create a resume. For example, what resume template should you use and what’s the best way to ensure that you’re highlighting your skills and experience effectively?

WayUp is taking the guesswork out of the resume generation process by providing each user with a student profile that doubles as a digital resume and portfolio. As an added bonus, you can use your profile to apply to jobs directly, making your job search both easy and effective. The best part? Businesses are searching through student profiles every day and inviting qualified candidates to apply.                                        

Here’s how to make your profile stand out.

The Basics

Making sure that each section is completely filled out (and interesting) is the first step to getting the most out of your profile.

About You

The first section includes a short description of who you are along with a “Fun Fact” and “Languages.” Use this section to show off your personality and include everything that makes you unique. It’s important to keep in mind that employers are interested in more than just your GPA. They want to see your personality shine through and they’re likely to take notice of unique traits and hobbies.

Education

This one is straightforward but very important. To make the most of it, we recommend taking it a step further by filing in 3-7 of your favorite classes so that employers can see what you’re interested in.

Internship & Work Experience

This is a wonderful chance to highlight your work experience, whether that experience is based in an office or not. Jobs like being a camp counselor or a waitress are awesome to include because they demonstrate important skill sets like how to work with a team and how to interact with customers. If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, your work as a counselor will also show potential employers that you have the right training for the job.

Be sure to include 2-5 bullet points that describe each role and use action words like “led,” “developed,” and “created” when explaining what you achieved at each job. Emphasize your accomplishments and give an example for each one. Did you double a company’s Instagram followers at your social media internship? Be sure to note that and, if possible, use metrics to quantify the impact of your work.

Above all, show that each of your previous jobs was a valuable learning experience. If you were a Starbucks barista, the skills you picked up in customer service and upselling are going to be really useful for the sales internship you’re trying to land, and it’s important to emphasize that.

Extracurriculars

This is the section where you can highlight some of the fun things you’ve done on campus. Whether you’re an athlete, in a sorority, or part of a club, mentioning the organizations you’re involved in will give employers a sense of how well-rounded you are.

Skills

From hard skills like programming and writing to soft skills like communication and leadership, this section is the perfect opportunity to emphasize your strengths and play up your experience.

Hobbies

This section offers a great chance to add a bit more color to your profile. Whether you love to snowboard or know the full Netflix lineup every month, listing your hobbies is a good opportunity to round out your profile with some more things that make you unique.

Choose the right profile picture

Adding a picture to your WayUp profile is a great way to boost your chances of getting hired, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind when picking the right one. Your picture probably shouldn’t be the same as your Snapchat selfie or Instagram thumbnail. Instead, pick a high-quality photo that makes you look professional while still showing your personality. The picture should be a solo shot — no friends, family members or cropped out arms should be visible.

Pro Tip: When deciding what to wear, go with something casual but conservative. Think about what you might wear to dinner when your friends’ parents are in town, and choose your outfit based on that.

Make it public

Once your profile is filled out, we recommend making it public. This will make it possible for employers to find you and it will significantly increase your chances of getting hired.

To do this, go to the very bottom of your profile page. There, you’ll see a box labeled “Public Searchability.” Click “Yes” and then make sure to click “Let Businesses Find Me” on the Account Settings page too.

Filling out your WayUp profile is a great first step in landing the job you want. In addition to serving as an online resume and portfolio, your WayUp profile will also make it easier for employers to find you and to consider you as a serious candidate for both internships and entry-level jobs. Ready to get started? Starting filling out your profile now.

 

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 5 Tips for Getting an Entry-Level Job Unrelated to Your Major and find answers to common interview questions such as What are you Passionate About?.

How Do I Get a Job in Another City or State?

Whether you’re looking for an entry-level out-of-state job or you want to relocate for a job in your dream city, there are many great reasons to initiate a job search in another location. And while the truth is that you are competing with other job seekers who are conveniently located closer to the job location, there are plenty of ways to circumvent this issue and land the role you want.

Here are some tips for getting a job in another city or state.

1. Apply for a hands-on internship

Employers would rather take a gamble on an out-of-state intern than a full-time employee because hiring an intern involves less commitment from them. Most internships are aimed at students, not recent grads, so employers understand that an intern may not have a local permanent address.

2. Network

One of the most important aspects of job hunting comes down to networking. When you are looking for a job in another city/state, networking is crucial. Start off by reaching out to friends, relatives and former classmates who are working in the city that interests you. School alumni are another valuable resource. By reconnecting, you will be on their radar and that can help you get your foot in the door. You can also try cold emailing people in that city who work in the same industry. This is a great chance to expand your professional network and find out about new opportunities in the city.

3. Be flexible

If you are searching for a job in a different time zone or you are in talks with an employer who wants to fill the position ASAP, you have to be ready for anything. You may have to do a Skype interview at an unusual time of day or even book a last-minute flight to meet the team in person with little notice. You must appear eager in the early stages of the interview process, so prepare to accommodate all of their requests.

4. Make it clear that you don’t expect the company to pay for your relocation

Many companies do not want to pay for new hires to relocate, at least when they are entry-level employees. In your cover letter, you should make it clear that it’s the JOB, not the location, that appeals to you. Explain that it won’t be an issue for you to get there because you are serious about moving anyway. Say that yes, you are currently living somewhere else, but you are prepared to move, at your own cost, by a specific date. Not only will this show that you are not a potential burden, it will also make you look proactive.

5. Do your research

If you are eager to live in a certain city, make sure to carefully research the ins and outs of that location before you make your move. That means reading up on the cost of living, figuring out the average rents in neighborhoods that appeal to you, and actually visiting the city to see how it feels. It’s important to familiarize yourself with your future home. Not only will doing so give you a better idea of a realistic salary range, it will also help you determine if you can really see yourself starting a new life there.

At WayUp, we have jobs around the country you can apply to. And best of all, since the opportunities are matched to your qualifications, any job you see you are eligible to apply for.

 

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Be a Team Player and find answers to common interview questions such as What Was a Time You Failed?.