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Career Tips for Summer Break

Summer is a great time to gain experience through seasonal jobs, internships and volunteer work.

Posted in: Career

Gain Professional Experience this Summer

Summer is a great time to gain experience through seasonal jobs, internships and volunteer work. Career Services will continue to post opportunities in Hire a Red Hawk throughout the summer. Check out a few new opportunities just posted:

Campus Recreation, Lifeguards

  • Campus Recreation is looking for lifeguards for this summer! We offer flexible schedules, a variety of special events and a fun working environment. Not yet certified? No problem! Just pass the American Red Cross Lifeguard Test, take our lifeguard course for free, then get paid to guard.

New Summer Jobs & Internships Posted on Hire a Red Hawk

  • The Borgen Project: Political Affairs Intern (11374)
  • Hiltzik Strategies: PR Intern (13467)
  • Kandle Dining Services: Dietetics Intern (12647)
  • Greener JC (Jersey City): Grants and Marketing Intern (13461)
  • Division of Information Technology: Student Tech/Wireless Survey Assistant (13858)
  • Montclair Film: Part-Time Teaching Assistant (13564)
  • Kids in the Game: Camp Counselor (13691)

Continue to check Hire a Red Hawk throughout the break to search and apply for jobs and internships.

Reflect on the Past Year

This year, you’ve endured uncertain and difficult times. Reflect on the perseverance, agility and resilience needed to overcome these challenges. These are qualities that not only shape who you will become in the future, but they are also qualities that employers look for in new hires.

With this past year in mind, take some time to discover your strengths, explore your interests and decide what’s important to you. Career Services offers self-assessment tools to help you set your long- and short-term career goals. Summer break is a good time to take an assessment. Make sure to set up an appointment with your Career Advisor to review your results.

Brush Up and Upskill

Gain a New Skill or Sharpen a Current Skill Set

  • LinkedIn Learning: Register for online courses that expand your skill set, add badges to your profile and set you apart from other candidates. Online courses are a great way to keep your knowledge fresh and broaden your understanding in your field.
  • Summer Sessions: If you’re still unsure about your career path, experiment with a class in another field to better pinpoint your direction. Montclair State offers a variety of skill-building summer courses.

Refresh Your Resume

  • Upload Your Resume for Feedback: You’ve worked hard this past year; make sure that is reflected on your resume and public professional profiles! Add any new activities and experiences as well as skills and competencies you have gained or strengthened. Include relevant coursework and update your GPA! Then, upload your resume to Hire a Red Hawk for feedback from career services.
  • Are You Career Ready? The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has identified core competencies as a measure of career-readiness. Evaluate whether you possess these competencies and where you can improve. When writing your resume and/or cover letter, be sure to highlight experiences that demonstrate these competencies.

Prepare for Upcoming or Future Interviews

  • Phone and video interviews are more common than ever, so make sure you are comfortable with both mediums. Outline answers to common interview questions and practice calm, concise delivery with a friend over video chat. Learn the Tricks to Acing Virtual Interviews.
  • Mock Interviews: Use the Hire a Red Hawk Mock Interview module to perfect your video interviewing skills and send to Career Services, a favorite professor or whomever else for feedback on your performance.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact us at careerserv@montclair.edu.

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