Summer is right around the corner, and while you should enjoy the break from the school year, it’s also a great time to start thinking about how to maximize your momentum for career progress. Summer career progress does not always mean having an internship; there are plenty of ways to grow yourself and your career goals.
Treating the summer like its own semester by committing to learning one new skill each month can help build your resume in an achievable and meaningful way. Summer is perfect for learning software programs, basic coding, public speaking skills and so much more. Each month, set aside time to learn a new skill, whether through a class or a LinkedIn learning certification. By the end of the summer, you can have three new skills and possibly certifications to add to your LinkedIn and resume.
The next thing you can do is build yourself a professional portfolio, even if you do not technically need one. This portfolio can include writing samples, design work, data projects, past class presentations, and campaign ideas. Proactively putting your work into a collective place that can be ready to submit to future internships or jobs can help set you up for success in the future.
Fall recruiting starts by mid-summer, so the beginning of the summer is a good time to update your resume, edit your LinkedIn profile, and have references ready to submit to applications. Staying on top of editing your resume and LinkedIn can help you apply to jobs faster and easier. Now would be a good time to set goals for the fall, whether that be completing a LinkedIn certification, applying for ten internships or applying for jobs each month.
Summer is also a great time to utilize Merrimack’s Professional Network and reach out to alumni in your field of interest. This can help you learn more about your major and allow you to explore new, exciting connections. This is also a great way to practice networking for upcoming opportunities like career fairs and panels the following semester.
With extra time on your hands, you can build experience through part-time work, volunteering, certifications, freelance work and personal projects. Anything that builds a skill counts as valuable work experience that you can apply to your future career. Use your summer to maximize your momentum and help your future career progress.
