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When I was searching for my first internship, I found myself hitting a wall. While I felt qualified for the positions, I did not have relevant experience to put on my resume. Or so I thought. After talking with a Career Specialist at Mizzou Career Center, I realized that I just needed to rework my resume and cover letter!
Rewording Experience
If you have only had experience in retail, food service, and office work, it can feel challenging to connect your background to an internship. Before my first internship, I had mainly worked in fast food. Instead of focusing on the food aspects of my role, I emphasized my transferable skills. I started by highlighting my three years of experience at my prior job, showing that I was reliable and dependable. During that time, I was promoted from crew member to shift leader, which further emphasized my growth and responsibility. Additionally, I revised my resume to emphasize my leadership abilities.
Even if you feel like your work experience is unrelated, a work history can show recruiters that you are consistent and reliable. Cover letters are a great way to expand on why you are interested in the position and how you can contribute to their team. It is important to remember that employers looking for interns understand that students are still learning. They want to hire students who are determined and pick up on skills quickly,
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community and further your skills. Columbia has a wide variety of opportunities that can bolster your resume. The City of Columbia has a online form that can notify you about opportunities based on your interests, such as energy, historic preservation, child care, photography, and writing. Volunteering can also provide you with references during the job search.
Depending on your major, there are also online opportunities that you can work on in your free time. For me, I wanted to have more audio design experience on my resume, so I started to upload free-use audio to Pixabay to help fill that gap.
Projects
School projects and personal projects are one of the best ways to show your progress in school. Be proud of what you have accomplished! Projects can be in many forms, like essays, art projects, events, and labs. If you have a skill that you want to highlight, personal projects are great for that. If you have enough projects, a portfolio can be a great tool to show to recruiters.
Career Fair
In early March, Mizzou will be hosting a plethora of on-campus job fairs. Employers from around the world gather to give students the opportunity to find internships and build connections. Check out Handshake to get a brief overview of which career fairs would best fit your schedule and career path. Then, be sure to sign up through Handshake, so you can register for the event in advance.
Just remember, experience is only one part of the hiring process. Your attitude, cover letter, and determination play a huge role in opportunities. So, put yourself out there Tiger!
By Ana B.