At times, student become super proactive when they begin at a university because it has been drilled in their ears to “Make sure you get an internship in your industry so that you can get a job” Although that is helpful information, it can also put pressure on students and cause them to miss out on their college experience. Career advisors witness many students during their First year, stressing about getting an internship throughout the semester or for the summer. The concern is understandable for sure, but the reality is that students need time to adjust and maneuver through the transition from High school to college. An internship is not the only way to be proactive during the first year of a student’s academic journey. Most companies only offer internship and fellowship opportunities to upper classmen and many freshmen find themselves not receiving much feedback. There are several things that students can do during the first year or first summer that will benefit their career goal plans.
- Take time to adjust and explore what organizations, programs, and clubs may be available to you which can serve as marketable material for any marketing document in the future. Analyze how they can provide skill and knowledge to make you more marketable for various career paths.
- Work a part time or even full-time job, even if it is not related to your degree or career of interest. The main thing to do during this time is develop transferable skills which can be acquired at any job and utilized in different industries. Retail, tutoring, food services, etc. all provide great skills that are needed in all industries.
- Explore Duke’s Summer Opportunities list to see if there are potential projects to work on which will serve as great marketable material for your resume. Duke has a variety of summer opportunities for students, especially first-year student, to take advantage of and build upon their skills set. https://experiences.duke.edu/
If you feel this information was helpful and would like to discuss more ways to make the most out of your First year at Duke, feel free to chat with a career advisor in the Career Center Handshake: https://duke.joinhandshake.com
