Search for Jobs and Internships
Earning valuable experience during your college career is an asset on your resume. Internships and fellowships, as well as part-time and eventually full-time work, are great stepping-stones as you advance forward in your desired industry and sector.
Internships
Internships are temporary positions for students or recent graduates that provide the opportunity to learn and gain hands-on experience related to your individual career goals and/or field of study. There are many benefits in pursuing an internship including valuable workplace experience, learning from professionals, meeting new contacts and testing your "fit" in a field. Find additional internship information about where Brandeis students have interned on the Brandeis Internship Exchange (BIX).
Jobs
Jobs come in many forms from temporary to part-time and full-time. Before diving in to apply for singular companies or job titles, it’s important to keep an open mind and understand the type of job you want, positions to avoid, skills you wish to obtain, location and commute, and overall career growth. A great tool to kick your job search strategy in high-gear is to reference the industry recruiting timeline (PDF) to better align your job applications with when recruiters are looking to hire.
Search Process
Four essential steps in organizing a successful job and internship search include:
- Self-assessment: identify your goals, values, skills, interests, motivations and strengths
- Research and network: learn about individual companies, roles and fields through targeted industry research and networking
- Self-marketing: create individualized resumes, cover letters and interview skills that demonstrate the match between your experience and the position
- Decision-making: clarify your priorities to be able to assess and respond to offers and choose options that meet your needs
Search Strategies
There are two search strategies for finding career opportunities:
- Search for jobs/internships that are posted on websites
- Gather information about positions or potential openings from networking and research
Posted Positions
The most comprehensive list of positions is on an employer's website. Some employers also post positions on other sites to draw attention to them with specific audiences. These sites are good sources for openings and may lead you to organizations that you had not heard about but are a good fit for you.
How To Use Handshake Like a Pro
Start Here
- General: Search for listings based on job type, salary, location and more using these sites: Indeed.com, Internships.com, Idealist.org, Serviceyear.org, and USAJobs.
- Specific: Narrow down your search by using field-specific resources: What Can I Do With This Major? has extensive job search and professional resources organized by majors. Search Vault's Explore Professions page for industry-specific job boards under the heading "Tips for Entry" and professional associations under "Resources and Associations." Library (LTS) Career Resources provides an overview of in-depth search sites.
- Leadership and Development Opportunities: programs that provide you with in-depth experiences, ongoing mentorship, and targeted training across a range of business areas within a company. The Rochester Institute of Technology maintains a listing of Leadership Development & Rotational Programs.
Beyond Posted Positions
About 70-80 percent of job seekers report that research, networking and outreach were integral to their success in the job and internship search.
Start networking your way to a job by following these steps:
- Research and follow individual organizations that work in your field whether or not they have current openings.
- Seek information about industry trends, organizational initiatives and sought-after skills from professors, alumni, fellow students, mentors, family and friends.
- Expand your network to reach out beyond your immediate contacts to others in your field who can provide valuable information.
- Have a solid LinkedIn profile that reflects your past and present experience, professional interests and full skill set.
Funding Opportunities
At Brandeis University, you can take advantage of a number of funding resources both during your tenure as a student and beyond. Review the funding opportunities.
Receiving Credit for Internships
Review majors-specific courses and seminars in the University Bulletin.
INT 89a/b Academic Year Internship Seminar
INT 89a/b Academic Year Internship Seminar is a half-credit course for students seeking internship course credit. This course provides students the opportunity to combine instructor-guided academic assignments and intentional reflections with a related, concurrent internship while developing academic, personal, and career development goals. (This course is available to students from any discipline to enroll when no internship course is offered in a related academic area or the related academic internships course has already been taken.)
- Students who have not yet taken the internship course option in their major/minor, as listed in the Bulletin, must obtain the signature of the major/minor internship instructor. Students should not be enrolling in INT89 when they should be considering a four-credit, program-specific internship course.
- Students must be U.S. Citizens. International students generally cannot enroll in this course due to CPT regulation guidelines.
- Students must have an approved internship completed during with course period.
- Enrollment is open to second-semester first-year students and above who are on campus/in residence at the time. The internship must provide opportunities for meaningful learning and meet the definition and standards of a Brandeis Internship, as set forth by the UCC guidelines, including:
- The internship must be at least 10 weeks in length and for at least 100 hours
- Internship occurs in an established work environment not virtual or home based
- The internship provides the opportunity for ongoing supervision
For additional information review the University Bulletin. Contact Jon Schlesinger with questions or enroll here.