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Thinking about Your Future over Spring Break

Posted on by KW

Crystal_ball_by_Ron_BodohYour future after graduating with a humanities major: you can’t foretell it, but you can take steps to shape it.  Spring break is a good time to take care of some of the career-planning details that get shoved aside during the semester.

First thing EVERYONE can do is put our upcoming career-planning events on their calendars. After that…

Graduating Seniors:

If you’re not headed to grad school and you haven’t yet gone to talk to Kirstin Wilcox, Director of Humanities Professional Resource Center, about your job-search strategy, email her to set up an appointment!  Even if you’re terrified and have no resume, much less a plan, come see her anyway.  Doing something works better than doing nothing, and it’s a place to start.

Seniors/Juniors:

  • Create or tidy up your LinkedIn profile.  Employers will stalk you online, so give them something to find that shows off your strengths.  Be sure to upload a professionally appropriate photo and try to devise a headline that showcases your work experience or talents (NOT “Student at the University of Illinois”).
  • Try out some different formats for your resume.  Your resume should NOT be a static, one-size-fits-all document. Every opening you apply for should elicit a different resume, one that advertises the specific background and experience you have that qualifies you for the particular job.
  • Spend some time on Handshake and other jobs databases finding what’s out there.  Some others that humanities majors find helpful are indeed.com, bookjobs.com, and idealist.org.

Freshman/Sophomores

  • Start networking. “Networking” is an intimidating concept, but it doesn’t have to be. Who do you know who would be willing to talk to you about what they do for a living and whether it might be something you want to do?  Start there!
  • Get to know Handshake and start checking it regularly to learn more about the kinds of jobs you’d like to apply for.
  • Look and apply for a summer internship.
  • Select a campus publication or an RSO to get involved in, preferably one that can give you leadership experience.
  • Plan to sign up for the Alumni Mentoring Network and find an alumni mentor when you get back to campus.