If you are a First-Year Student (or not) Please Read This!

By Salem State Log Staff on October 23, 2020 • ( Leave a comment )

By: Valentina Méndez (Alumna)

I am currently a senior, and it wasn’t until this past summer that I realized I was doing everything wrong in college. Yes, everything. I got a job on campus, maintained a great GPA, joined all honor societies, studied abroad, and was a leader in a student organization… all this for nothing.

As I started applying to jobs and sending my resume, I was very optimistic. I used to think I had a great resume; I have done everything a person should do to easily get a good internship. However, I did not know how real life works. The people you are sending your resume to are looking at the experience you have, not your grades or achievements. They want to know that when you are given a task you will be able to correctly execute it.

Aside from that, you need connections that will give you that extra help to have your resume on the top of the pile or even get you a position somewhere. These connections are not easy to get. However, here I will give you some advice that hopefully will help you get where you need to.

Start at school from the moment you get there, get yourself involved in a project that can show you have experience. Since I am a communications major, in the club I joined I am able to write articles like this one, manage the social media, etc. If you are any other major, try to get yourself in a position where you can put into practice what you have learned at school.

Volunteer somewhere, do it once every week or every two weeks, it will not take a lot of time from you and it will help your resume so much. You CAN find a paid internship; it is very common. Nevertheless, if you do not find it get an unpaid internship, it does not have to be full time, you can still go work somewhere, but at the same time you will get the experience in your field. Get at least two internships before you graduate, this is the experience your dreamed job wants from you.

When it comes to your resume, cover letter, interview before and after, your portfolio. DO RESEARCH, if you google all these things you will find tons of advice, this will be very helpful. Look for blogs and YouTube videos, other people’s experiences are everything you need.

Last, but not least, do not be afraid to reach out to people. In the past few weeks I have reached out to some people and they have been willing to advise and help me without hesitating. I was afraid and timid, I really did not want to do it, but you cannot imagine how helpful this has been.

I hope my words can make an impact on at least one of you.

(This story was written in the Fall of 2019)