6 things to do this summer to jump-start your career
The summer months have finally arrived. Even though the weather in the UK remains erratic and hardly summer-esque, these months are traditionally a time for university students to have a break from the constant grind of lectures, coursework and exams.
For the career-minded who want to use this downtime from university to get going on career-related matters, here are six things you could do.
1. Rest, recharge and reflect.
First things first, take the time to get a mental break and reset yourself for summer. We cannot be operating at the same level of intensity throughout the year and it’s important to change gears and get some well-deserved rest or relaxation time.
When you first break for summer, you may want to just take a couple of weeks to do absolutely nothing work or career-related. Reconnect with friends and family, socialise, and just enjoy some leisure activities instead.
I like to incorporate some reflection and goal-setting at the end of this two-week break: spend some time considering what it is you want to achieve in the next academic year. Is it to land a summer internship or graduate scheme? What sort of sectors/industries will you focus on? Are there any lessons learnt from the previous year in terms of how you were using your time productively (or not)?
You don’t need to have an absolutely clear vision of what you want to achieve at this point in time but it’s always good to remain in a reflective mode and be conscious of the potential paths ahead.
2. Organise an applications tracker and consolidate roles/companies to apply to
I’m a big fan of spreadsheets (it’s the consultant in me) and I love organising everything into Excel spreadsheets or Google sheets which I can keep updated on the go.
Summer is a good time to put a game plan together in terms of the applications, roles and companies to tackle once they open. When September rolls around and you’re back to the churn of lectures and seminars, the last thing you want to do is to be scrambling around thinking about when roles open and what the requirements are. Instead, planning and prioritising the game plan ahead of time can remove the stress factor and keep yourself organised.
Below is a proposed template for relevant columns and items* to include in your tracker. Include a good deal of colour coding if you’re into that!
*example items only - please do your own research on actual deadlines, opening dates etc!
3. Upskill yourself
Summer is always a good time to pick up new skills. Whether it’s that Python programming course you always wanted to do but never had the time during term-time, or brushing up on your interviews and presentations, now would be a good time to focus on that. Platforms like Udemy and Coursera, are great for picking up a whole range of new skills through their online course offering (some courses also provide certification upon completion). Your university may also offer discounted or free courses during the summer.
Need any specific help with interviews or associated career skills? Get in touch with us.
4. Build new networks
People usually have more time in summer and this is when you may want to reach out to alumni on LinkedIn or through your networks, to have more insightful chats and find out more about companies you’re interested in. If restrictions allow it and people are willing; you may always want to finally conduct these chats in person. Collect a good amount of anecdotes and examples to be able to name-drop in cover letters or during interviews.
5. Update and finalise your CV and Cover Letters
Get your CV updated with any new experiences and take stock of the information currently on there. Are these still relevant or is there something more recent you want to highlight? In light of any new career goals, what do you really want to show off on your CV/LinkedIn profile?
Similarly with your cover letters, you may want to create editable templates for each type of company you’ll be applying to so you’re not starting from scratch each time during the new application season. This doesn’t mean you’re replicating the same cover letter for each company, but rather have a general style and structure that you can adapt to different companies when it comes time to apply.
If you need help with either your CV or cover letter, reach out to us.
6. Internships or short-term work experience
Lastly, if you have the opportunity to get involved in some work experience for the short-term, it would be beneficial to use this to gain new skills and show off something recent on your CV by the time you apply to positions in the coming academic year. It doesn’t need to be a formal internship in your desired sector, it could even be a short-term stint in a part-time service role, just to beef up your examples/stories for interviews. It’s also great to be involved in something different where you can potentially earn some income! Try not to allocate time for relaxation and rest in the midst of your work experience – after all summer is a time to recharge.
