Social Networking
L
inkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and the like are all superb job search resources. LinkedIn in particular is essentially a job search/professional networking site, and all job/internship seekers should create an account on the site and use it (creating an account is not enough). Twitter is also excellent for networking and job search research, and increasingly includes job search resources. Even Facebook has several job search resources and tools. The trick with all of these is to keep your presence professional, and properly manage your privacy settings, especially during the time you are searching for opportunities. Employers will most assuredly Google you and search these sites to check you out, and if they find anything negative may choose not to pursue your candidacy. Resources/Tools: http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/social-networking.aspx
Having a “Plan Bâ€? Probably the most common mistake students make is not having a Plan B (and C and D, etc‌). Many students start their job/internship search focused on one particular industry, geographic location, or type of position, and change their mind once they start searching or interviewing, realizing their original job target is (a) no longer of interest, or (b) unrealistic considering their grades, the economy, etc. All sorts of things could happen; you could be set on following your significant other to a particular location, but break up mid-year, and are stuck seeking opportunities in a location you no longer find of interest. We see students have to re-trench every year, who then have to quickly come up with a new plan, having missed many opportunities. We strongly encourage you to look at a number of different career possibilities as you go this process, and not focus too specifically on any one target. Your career/industry/employer research plays a vital role in making sure you have these options, and are ready to refocus your search if you need to.
10