In defining your target, some factors to consider include geographic location, industry, skills you want to develop, pay, relevance to your major, etc. Keep in mind that you need to set a realistic goal. As a freshman, it may not be realistic for you to obtain a very technical position for the summer, but you should still consider what skills you want to develop. Also, you may have limited geographic choices if you want to work in a particular industry. If you are having trouble defining your target for a summer position, make an appointment to see a counselor in the CDC.

Uncovering Leads

Once you have defined what you are seeking, you need to identify the group of employers that fits into that definition so that you can contact them directly. In this endeavor, you will need to use both written and people resources.

Written Resources - Look for directories that index employers according to some of the criteria you defined. For example, geographic location, majors hired, industry, etc. Some particularly helpful directories available in the CDC Cafe/Career Libraries Room are:

• Dun's Employment Opportunities Directory
• How to Find a Job in ... (series which includes Chicago, Boston, etc.)
• CorpTech Directory of Technology Companies
• Peterson's Job Opportunities in ... (series includes Engineering, Business, etc.)

Use the Web to search for sites that can help you. Use a search engine to help identify useful sites. Also, check out our Career Links for more resources.

People Resources - Networking is a valuable tool in looking for any job, and that includes summer positions! Ask everyone that you know if they are aware of companies that fit your criteria. Or, if you have already identified companies, use your network to try to get the name of someone inside the organization to whom you can direct your resume and cover letter. Some of the best people resources include:

• The 3 F's - friends, family and faculty
• Fellow Students
• Former Employers
• Alumni - use the Alumni Directory in the CDC Cafe/Career Libraries Room which lists alumni by major, employer, and geographic location
• Career Development Center Staff
• Employer Information Sessions - Over 300 companies recruit on campus each year. Attend their information session, introduce yourself to the employer representative, and ask about summer positions. Schedules for Employer Informational Meetings are available in the CDC Calendar and in the"Campus Notes" section of the Poly.
• Career Fairs

Identifying Advertised Openings

In addition to contacting targeted employers directly, you should also be keeping a close eye on new listings for summer positions. Potential resources include:

• On-Campus Recruiting for Summer Employment
• Summer Job Postings available in Binders in the CDC Cafe
• JobLink - Includes a listing of summer internships and is updated daily.

Additional Ideas - Company homepages, postings on bulletin boards in your department, temporary employment agencies, etc.

Contacting Employers

You can begin contacting employers as early as September to apply for summer positions. Plan ahead for school breaks- try to set up interviews while you are in that geographic area. Use the following suggested approach when contacting an organization:

Step One: identify an appropriate contact person within the organization. Sometimes, the directories in the Career Resource Room will list a contact person. If not, ask faculty, CDC staff, alumni or other people resources if they know anyone at the organization. An ideal contact person is a manager within the area you want to work. The next best contact person is someone in Human Resources or Personnel who works with the organization's co-op or internship program. If all your people contacts fail you, then simply call the organization, and ask for an appropriate contact person.

Step Two: send a resume and cover letter. Compose a targeted cover letter addressing why you are particularly interested in that organization and what makes you a good fit for the position. Try to show your knowledge of the organization. If you are going to be in the area over a break, mention that in your letter and request an interview.

Step Three: follow-up with a phone call. About a week after you send your resume and cover letter, call to see if it has arrived and ask about the application process for summer positions.

Plan of Action

You need to be organized and diligent in your search for a summer position in order to be successful. Make a plan of action and stick to it! The following is a sample plan:

Preparatory Steps

• Prepare a resume and have it critiqued.
• Attend Summer Job Search, Cover Letter Writing and Interview Techniques workshops.
• Conduct research to identify your target companies (see a counselor if having difficulty).

Weekly Task List

__ Check for new postings in the Summer Job Binder.

__ Read the "Campus Notes" section of the Poly for company recruiting dates and information sessions.

__ Apply to at least 5 targeted companies each week by sending a resume and cover letter.

__ Make follow-up phone calls to the companies to whom you sent resumes the previous week.

__ Sign up for any campus interviews that interest you.

Follow-up Steps

__ Write thank you notes within 48 hours after any interview.

__ Keep notes of all phone calls and correspondence.

__ If a company says they will not be starting to hire for summer until a later date, make a note to call them again after that date.

CDC Services to Help You

Resume and Cover Letter Critiques - Drop off a draft at the front desk. A CDC counselor will make written comments within two days. If desired, you can also make an individual appointment for help.

Workshops - Check out the CDC Calendar on your JobLink Dashboard for dates and times of Summer Job Search, Interviewing and Cover Letter workshops.

Summer Jobs Binder - We post all summer positions in the Summer Jobs binder in the CDC Cafe/Career Libraries Room. You might also check the Internship and the Co-op binders for other leads.

On-Campus Recruiting - Some companies conduct campus interviews for summer positions. This begins as early as October. Check out the Co-op How-To to register and participate in on-campus recruiting.

JobLink - access this up-to-date listing of internships nationwide.

Employer Informational Meetings- Most of the companies that recruit on campus have an information session prior to their interview day. This is a great chance to meet with company representatives to ask about summer positions. Consult the CDC Calendar or JobLink for more information.

Individual Appointments - At anytime during your search, if your are frustrated or need some guidance, please make an appointment to see a counselor in the CDC.