It’s not easy to market yourself into the summer job you want during your college years. With so many students applying for the same positions, it can be intimidating, and in fact, a recent White House survey found that 46% of students who applied for a job last summer were turned down. Fortunately, there are ways you can optimize your chances of success in this search process, and we’d like to share a few:

1. Know what you want. Obvious advice, perhaps, but how do you figure out what you want if it’s not immediately obvious to you? You ask for informational interviews, you speak with professionals in Career Services, you call up adults in your hometown community who may be able to answer some questions… Nutshell, you overcome any shyness you feel about asking questions about various jobs and industries.

2. Stay organized. Organization is key here. Keep a spreadsheet or use the notes on your phone, or kick it old school with a notebook. The key is that you think about who might be able to help you, reach out to them, reach out again if they don’t respond, keep a record of any leads or advice they give you, write a thank you note immediately after speaking with them, and follow up on what they offer you. Listen, none of this is rocket science. Landing the job you want is much more about staying on top of details, good manners, and tenacity.

3. Expect rejection. Think of yourself like a baseball player. It’s all about batting average – don’t expect to hit only homers, and give yourself plenty of at-bats.

4. Don’t burn bridges. We heard a story recently about a young woman who was let go from her job during a mass lay-off at her company. She was given 2 weeks salary and notice. The company let her know that she didn’t have to work during those two final weeks, and most of her co-workers opted to leave immediately. This young woman decided to stay and tie up some projects, working hard to make the transition as smooth as possible. Guess who was the first to get a call when a supervisor heard about a new opening in another division of the company? Even when you have a setback, always put your best foot forward.

5. Do your homework. Have you learned everything about the company and position that you can? What skills do you have that might make you a good fit for the job?

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QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs.  From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules.  The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews.  Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience.  Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.

1. Is it okay for a resume to be two pages?  Nope, it really shouldn’t be.  Find ways to describe your experience more concisely, and if you need help, ask Career Services at your school or even a trusted friend.
2. I don’t have a ton of work experience.  What should I do?  Include what you have done, and focus on the academic experiences and extracurricular activities that show transferrable skills.  Did you take coursework in media relations and marketing and graduate with honors in communication?  Did you write a thesis that’s relevant to the jobs for which you’re now applying?  Were you the captain of the field hockey team, the treasurer of the Spanish club, or an editor of the newspaper?  These roles will help potential employers get a sense of who you are and what you have to offer.
3. I’ve worked a ton of jobs on QuadJobs, but I don’t know how to represent that on my resume.  We suggest that college students list QuadJobs in the space you’d normally list an employer, and describe the various jobs you’ve had through the site in the description underneath.

QUADJOBS.com                       Fall, 2018-present

Through an online platform that specializes in local jobs for college students, worked 10-40 hours/ month during the academic year (an average of 30 jobs annually).  Jobs included babysitting, moving furniture, cleaning, and yard work. Received highest possible performance reviews (4 stars) from employers for professionalism and work ethic, including comments such as “Emily did an amazing job” and “We’d hire her again in a heartbeat.”

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QuadJobs is an online platform connecting college and graduate students to local jobs.  From Saturday night babysitting to moving a couch to helping a local business during a busy time, students find flexible jobs that fit into whatever free time they have. By streamlining the employment connection between campus and community, QuadJobs unlocks jobs particularly well-suited for students’ busy, often changing schedules.  The platform tracks every job a student takes and gathers performance reviews.  Small jobs matter—they help a student network, earn income, and build a track record of work experience.  Local employers can hire with efficiency and confidence.