Not got an Internship? Not to worry. Laura Molloy tells us all the ways students can improve their CVs this summer.
Summer is here, and so is the annual swarm of LinkedIn posts. If you are a college student, you are probably surrounded by announcements that your peers are “delighted to share”. It can be an overwhelming time if you don't have an internship lined up. Despite summer being a time of rest, there is pressure to do something productive.
Securing internships can be challenging for all fields, but for many they don’t even exist. Unless you study something related to business, law, or STEM, formal internships can be hard to find. Therefore, I have put together a set of tips for gaining experience and boosting your CV.
Take Free Online Courses
In the digital age, there is an abundance of free courses you can take online. Many let you complete them at your own pace, making them a great choice for the summer months. Websites such as Google Digital Garage and HubSpot Academy offer a variety of courses in various in-demand skills. Completing even one of these courses can be a great addition for your CV.
Online courses are also a fantastic way to break away from the specifications of your degree. If you’re looking to branch into a new field, having a formal qualification can make transitioning easier. For example many students in arts and social sciences are now studying digital marketing courses due to the growth of the industry.
Volunteer
Volunteering with different organisations offers lots of opportunities to improve your CV. Depending on where you volunteer for you can learn new skills, network, gain work experience, and of course, support a good cause.
Every student has different interests and there are many organisations you may not have thought of. For example, the organisation Fighting Words recruits volunteers every year to help them organise creative writing workshops for kids and teenagers. This type of volunteering offers experience in skills needed for teaching, publishing, journalism and much more.
Fighting Words is just one of many organisations that accept third level students. Spend some time researching your options, consider what skills you are looking to gain or improve, and you will likely find a suitable match.
Ask for Work Experience
Many interns do not start in internships. Instead, they are students that reach out to companies for shadowing opportunities or any kind of work experience they have to offer. Summer is the perfect time to sit down and perfect the art of the cover letters. Many word processing softwares have free templates for CVs and cover letters which can be of great assistance.
You can also visit the UCD Careers Network website. As a UCD student you can access CV360, a software that reviews your CV and offers feedback. For your cover letter, you can use the cover letter builder tool which is available in MyCareer. Additionally, you can review the network’s video guide for further tips.
If enquiring about work experience, it's usually a good idea to consider smaller companies and organisations. Not only is your email more likely to be seen but they also are more likely to need the help.
Write for Publications
Writing for publications is a fantastic way to improve your skill set. On the surface writing can help to improve your written communication and develop your research abilities, but it also formally recognises your knowledge of the topics you write about. If you’re not sure where to start then I suggest considering a few of these options.
Oxygen.ie accepts submissions from third level students across Ireland on a variety of lighthearted and cultural topics. Spunout.ie accepts contributions from residents of Ireland aged 16-25. Their articles tend to focus on topics such as politics, education, mental health, climate, and much more. Or of course, send a pitch to editor@universityobserver.ie to write for The University Observer.
While entering the big four can be a wonderful experience for many, it is not suited to every student. By taking advantage of your time and incorporating even these tips, you can still successfully boost your CV this summer.