Getting ready for the job search
Believe in yourself and don’t underestimate your skills! You will likely feel that you don’t know what you’re doing in the job search. That is OK. The most important part is simply doing it and not getting stuck trying to perfect the process.
Work through the BIG Math Network student resources page, especially Winning at the job search. Then go more in depth with the BIG Jobs Guide – priced at $15 for students and available at many university libraries or through interlibrary loan. The Guide contains lots of helpful resources and practical tips.
Update your LinkedIn page and web presence (e.g. homepage at your department, Github site for code samples) so that the people you meet can look you up online.
Revise your resume to include the projects you worked on in your internship, and the skills you acquired/sharpened while on the job. Remember not to reveal any confidential information about the projects.
Reach out to your university career center or graduate college career center/advisors to learn what opportunities and connections they can offer. In addition, career centers often have helpful resources on networking and interviewing, and often can provide personalized feedback on your resume, practice interviews, etc.
Finding people and jobs
Set up conversations near the end of your internship with people at the company about your future career path. You might be able to continue your internship work in some capacity, and many companies will have full time openings in the future that they will be excited for you to apply to.
Talk with internship mentors and supervisors, because they most likely have contacts at other companies in the industry or related fields. End each conversation by asking “who else do you suggest I talk with?” That is a great way of getting connected to new people.
Connect with alumni from your university, especially from your department. Talk with your graduate program director about your career aspirations – they probably know a list of alumni working in industry and could help you connect with those alums.
Check your campus online job board, where career fairs are advertised and employers seek applicants from your university specifically. Register for the job board, put the career fairs on your calendar, and look regularly for new job postings.
What to do when you find people
When you find a new contact to talk with, do a little research on that person and where they work, and send them an email to see whether they would be willing to meet, simply to chat and tell you about what they do. These informational interviews are probably the #1 way to get connected to the job you want. If their company does not have a job for you, they might be able to connect you with someone else who is looking to hire.
Before doing informational interviews or talking with new contacts, go back through some of the material we covered in the Career Preparation trainings, to practice your elevator pitch and behavioral interview skills.