So, your summer internship was canceled. As we head into the school year, there are quite a few ways to still give your resume that boost. If you got involved in something over the summer, try continuing through the fall! And if you took this summer off, here are six things to do to add to your resume as fall approaches.
1. Volunteer
Volunteer opportunities are everywhere! Make masks and donate them to hospitals or nursing homes. Volunteer for a political campaign. Donate blood. Write letters to senior citizens. Volunteer for a crisis hotline. Organizations are constantly in need of volunteers, so you can keep working with them well into fall. Plus, if you’re a California resident, you can get recognition for your time. California launched the Summer of Service volunteer program in June, but it doesn’t end until Aug. 31, so you still have time to get some hours in. You can receive recognition based on the number of hours you put in. For 10 hours of time, you can be recognized as a volunteer; for 50 hours you can be recognized as a leader; and for 100 hours you can be recognized as an ambassador. There is a list of partner organizations you can volunteer with to get this recognition. Check out more here:
https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/summerofservice/.
2. Prep for graduate school
There’s no time like the present! Start studying for the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, or any other graduate school entrance exam, and get a jumpstart on those grad school applications. From Kaplan to Magoosh, there are plenty of programs out there to choose from. Pro tip – if you attend a GRE info session through the USC Dornsife pre-grad program, you can get a discount through the Princeton Review.
3. Apply for fall internships
Don’t lose steam! Just because your summer was canceled doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of the fall. Companies all over the country are hiring fall interns, and many are remote. Head to the USC career portal, LinkedIn, Handshake, or start networking to make a fall internship happen!
5. Online courses
There are lots of online learning platforms out there, like LinkedIn Learning, edX or Masterclass. These are all available year round. LinkedIn Learning is free for a month, while edX is completely free (you can pay an extra fee for a certificate – great resume boost!). On LinkedIn Learning, you can learn anything from SEO for social media to HTML to business analytics. EdX has classes taught by professors like MIT and Harvard, and MasterClass sessions are taught by leaders in the field such as Bob Iger and Shonda Rhimes.
6. Pick up a new hobby
It’s not all about work experience and internships on the resume! Picking up a new hobby shows future employers what your interests are and what you got involved in during this strange time. I once sat in an interview and they asked me to share something surprising about myself – something that a lot of people don’t know about me or isn’t on my resume. That’s exactly where my hobbies came in handy. Whether it’s cooking, training for a marathon, juggling, or photography, hobbies will give future employers an idea of what you like to do outside of work.
7. Start something
There are dozens of businesses out there that college students can start! You can start a small business through tutoring, managing social media, brand consulting, and more. If you want to try something a little more in the creative realm, try starting a podcast, blogging, or vlogging. Find something you’re passionate about, and build a platform from there!