As college students, we find ourselves on a tight budget. Many have turned to finding part-time jobs during the school year, to bring in something extra.
However, it can sometimes be a challenge in a college town, to find the perfect job for a busy schedule. Certain students find luck by applying to jobs on their own and others need more guidance.
The Auburn University Career Center helps undergraduate and graduate students find jobs that fit their majors, interests and schedules. The career center has recently launched a website to make it easy for students to apply to jobs that fit their criteria, called Handshake.
“All Auburn students have an account with Handshake, and it is tied to their AUaccess information,” Torey Palmer, career counselor, said. “Within that system they can search for part-time work on and off campus. At this point there are 21 on-campus jobs on there, and several more off campus.”
The website has been growing since its start this semester and the career center already has ways of improving it.
“In the future, the website will go to more of a LinkedIn type profile for students to have, so students will want to be sure they are utilizing Handshake to the best they can. Handshake can allow them to show off there most valuable experiences in a way that someone who hasn’t met that student before would know a lot about them,” Palmer said.
According to the Career Center, Handshake has taken the place of the former Tiger Recruiting Link, which had the same idea behind it.
“I was looking up jobs on Tiger Recruiting Link, and easily found my job at the Auburn Call Center,” Eliza Mason said.
Other students are able to find off-campus jobs on their own. However, these applicants often have the experience to go through the process with little assistance. Senior Chandler Brun, an apparel merchandising major, was able to land every girl’s dream job at Behind the Glass.
“I wanted retail experience to put on my resume, so I looked around at boutiques in Auburn,” said Brun. “I filled out the application and brought it back to the store along with my resume, and met with the manager. I got an email to set up an interview with the owner, and after a couple of days I got an email from the general manager that I got the job.”
Whether you are applying through a website such as Handshake, or you go through the process alone, the interview portion is often the hardest part. Career counselors at the Auburn University Career Center will hold mock interviews for any type of job or organization students want to participate in.
“You can schedule an appointment to come in and we will do our best to replicate the experience you can expect to have in your interview. From that you can learn what you’re doing well, because students usually have a good core of what they’re putting out there, and also learn areas of what you need to improve or adapt for the real deal,” Palmer said.
The new semester is a perfect time to start searching for a job or internship. Websites like Handshake, and other online employment services make it convenient to apply for jobs in your area if you don’t want to go through the process alone. Try out these new services and interview tips on your next job search.
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