The Career Center at Texas A&M University is here to help your student as they search for jobs and internships. Here are our top tips for success!

1. Start with introspection

It is important to start by having your student ask themselves some important questions so they  know how to plan and prepare:

• What industry or industries are they investigating or are interested in?
• What type of roles are they looking for?
• Why does this interest them?
• How can they show that they will be a great candidate for this position?

Remember, it’s not enough that they believe they are a strong candidate. They need to show it in a way that causes the employer to feel the same way about their candidacy. Assessments can sometimes be helpful in learning more about yourself and in exploring various opportunities. There are two career assessments available to Texas A&M students: Sigi3 and Focus2.
 

2. Prepare Materials

There are many things that your student will need to prepare when starting the internship/job search process. We have many resources available to help students with those various materials.
 
Have your student download a template and follow the Career Center’s step-by step guide on how to create a resume here! 
 
Your student can get their resume reviewed by our automated resume reviewing tool, VMock.
 
They can also set up an appointment to get their resume reviewed by one of our advisors!
 
Download and use our Career Guide for information on a wide variety of topics such as cover letters, interview tips and much more!
 
LinkedIn is a valuable resource and platform to help with networking. It is a social media platform built to support a professional environment for networking. Students should start building their online brand using LinkedIn. Check out our blog on “Maximizing Your LinkedIn Impact” to learn more about creating a stellar LinkedIn profile.
 

3. Networking

Through A&M, there are numerous tools that your student can use to network and apply for jobs. Encourage your student to check the jobs available at the HireAggies Job Posting Board.
It’s an exclusive resource for Texas A&M students with over 60,000 jobs posted annually.
 
Career fairs are the most efficient way to network with recruiters as a student. There are around 18-20 career fairs each semester and due to COVID-19, they have been held virtually. Career Fairs typically take place in September and February of each academic year, with fall career fairs being the largest, so encourage your student to attend multiple fairs in both semesters!
 
The Association of Former Students offers a great tool called “Find An Aggie.” It is a searchable database for all current and former students of Texas A&M where students can connect with professionals that are in their field of interest. Your student can access it at tx.ag/FindAnAggie.
 

4. Stay Motivated

When your student starts applying to positions, they will inevitably experience rejections. When this happens, it is easy for them to feel like something is wrong with them. Remind them that numerous great candidates don’t get the job because only one person will receive a particular position. Employers who are great fits for your student are out there. It will take time, effort, and “failures” to get the job/internship they are searching for, but it all pays off in the end.
 
Remind them to keep at it, and use the Career Center if they need further assistance!  You can contact our office at 979-845-5139 or by emailing cc_advisor@tamu.edu. Follow us on social media @HireAggies for more helpful career information!

 

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Written by Paige Hellman, Jasmine Zenn, Cami Hernandez & Amarette Renieri, Texas A&M Career Center