Various companies and universities are suspending on-campus activities to avoid the spreading of the coronavirus and moving classes to a virtual classroom. As this happens, students may start to find more time on their hands with travel hours cut short and class times reduced or canceled. But you may also wonder, what does the coronavirus mean for my job search?
As of this week, we are hearing that employers are optimistic things will settle down in the next few months and they would like to keep their summer plans in place. This is not true for every industry and every location, but the fact that employers are optimistic is promising, so we suggest continuing your online applications.
We have also heard that many employers plan to keep their full-time and intern hires. Some are pushing back the start date to later in the summer like July, and some have pushed back internship offers to a different term (fall, spring or the following summer) for rising sophomores and rising juniors. It’s worth noting that some of you may see your summer internships turn into remote positions. We will know more from employers in the next few weeks, and will keep you informed along the way. Follow the CCD on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.
Although we may be living in a time of uncertainly with some things out of our control, there are a few things we can control. One such thing is one’s own career development; especially for students who may be looking for jobs, internships, and co-op experiences. This may be a good time to start thinking about some career-related upgrades.
- Resumes: Use this time to add recently earned skills and experiences to revamp your resume and impress employers. Make sure you have a great layout and format that highlights your most relevant skills.
- Online resume reviews: BU offers VMock as a resume reviewing tool Upload your resumes there to get feedback and to make improvements to your resume. You can also get it reviewed by one of our career counselors or trained students. There are various other free resume reviewing websites that are available online, in case you do not have access to VMock.
- Job Search: Reach out to employers via email, social media (Yes, they are still hiring). Employers are conducting virtual interviews or finding other methods to interview potential candidates. Try to conduct informational interviews with people who are working in your field of interest.
- Update your LinkedIn account: Filling out your LinkedIn account details can be time-consuming and frustrating. With more time on your hands, you can utilize it to update and refresh your LinkedIn account. Get a new photo, use industry-specific words, upload links to your work, write that summary!
- Practice interviewing: List probable questions that you could be asked during an interview. Practice in front of a family member or friend or use Big Interview to record your voice and video that you can send to professors or career professionals for feedback on your interviewing skills. If you do not have access to these tools, take out your smartphone and record yourself there.
- Attend online/virtual conferences, webinars, and events: Boston University is still keeping services open to support students. Additionally, employers are constantly looking for students who have initiative. Some organizations are moving events online and companies are hosting virtual networking events as well. In order to keep yourself up to date with the latest trends and research – attend virtual conferences, webinars, and events that are being hosted. This would be a great place to network virtually, upgrade skills, and learn more about the industry you are interested to work in.
Please keep visiting the BU careers page for updates on events and workshops.
Whatever you may choose to do – remember to keep an open mind as this is an uncertain period. Choose to be creative, encourage others, and be patient.
I hope all of you stay safe and healthy.
BU + Beyond 