Now is an excellent time to start thinking about what you can do this spring and summer for your future career success. Employers seek out students who have demonstrated skills through internships, relevant experiential projects and certificates. Additionally, students can use these experiences to understand their future career goals—what they want out of a job and who they want to work for. Students have access to innovative programs and opportunities to promote professional growth. These experiences add depth to your resume. They also provide examples to share during interviews to demonstrate your strengths and skills. Here are some opportunities to help you gain professional experience.
Find an internship
Internship experience is the most influential factor for employers when hiring, according to a job outlook survey by NACE. This type of experience shows employers that students have direct experience applying their skills. Students at CU say that internships are one of the best experiential learning opportunities for helping them achieve their goals. Internships are also the perfect professional experience to try out your passions, build new skills and meet people who can help you find jobs. There are thousands of available internships that you can choose from on Handshake. Handshake makes it easy to find and apply to internships, many of which aren’t posted anywhere else. Career Services can help you prepare your resume for applications.
Earn a Google Career Certificate
Get ready to stand out in the job market and gain in-demand job skills for your future. You can now access free Google Career Certificates through Career Services. Learn from experts and get qualified for roles in fast-growing, high-demand fields, including cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing and e-commerce, IT support, project management and UX design.
Google Career Certificates don’t require previous experience. You can complete the certificate program in three to six months with under 10 hours of flexible study per week. These certificates can demonstrate your initiative to learn on your own, show you have skills in specialized areas and help you stand out over other candidates.
Get an on-campus job
Student employees are a core piece of the CU Boulder team. Working on campus can help you learn skills, build a professional network and have a flexible work schedule. There are job opportunities for you all over campus in various roles. You can find on-campus jobs posted on Handshake and the Student Employment website.
Learn about some of the departments that hire students, the types of jobs they offer and their current openings.
Simulate a job
It is hard to know what a job will be like until you try it out. Job simulations are an easy way to get a taste of what it is like to work for some of the world's biggest brands and top companies. Companies like Lululemon, JP Morgan, Lyft and Boston Consulting Group host great job simulations for CU students on Forage.
Give back and build experience
Volunteer experience can help you learn new skills, meet new people and make a positive difference. The Volunteer Resource Center has excellent opportunities to volunteer throughout the year with varying commitment levels and ways to contribute. Volunteering can be crucial to a future job or internship application to nonprofits or government agencies, and it can also help set you apart in your job search.
Set yourself up for success
Career Services helps students position themselves for success through workshops, events, training and other resources. You can also meet with a peer career advisor during scheduled office hours or schedule an appointment with a career advisor.