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.