We are at the time of the year where (almost) everyone is thinking about what their plan is for the upcoming summer of ‘16. Whether you plan on staying home and relaxing, or you are feeling really ambitious and want to relocate for a potential summer internship position, the sole thought of planning this far ahead is stressful, especially amidst Holy Cross coursework. I know from experience that a lot of students frequently refer to Holy Cross’ own career database, Crusader Connections, to read about new internship postings and to apply to those of interest. While Crusader Connections is a great resource and one that should continue to be used, there are other viable resources out there as well. It’s important to cast a wide net when searching for an internship. Employers do their best to market their opening to the widest audience; thus, some really valuable internships that don’t run through Crusader Connections appear on other internship & career databases.
I wanted to take the time to highlight other extremely useful career search databases to consider; as a physics major I leveraged a number of internship search resources when conducting my own internship search. My professional interests lay more in research & development, a field that appears to be a bit more infrequently seen on Crusader Connections (compared to those related to finance, banking, law and medicine, etc.). I’ve relied on sources like the Liberal Arts Career Network, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn to further hone my search to positions that suit my qualifications for a ‘worthy’ summer internship. I hope this post opens your eyes to the many resources out there, beyond Crusader Connections, that can also be instrumental in conducting an effective internship search.
1. Liberal Arts Career Network (LACN)
LACN is essentially the same format as Crusader Connections, as it is a collaborative venture of 28 high selective liberal arts colleges (including Holy Cross) that promotes contact between students and employers through an all-encompassing, innovative database. The sole benefit of using LACN is that you will see a pool of different postings from many similar liberal arts institutions; presumably, students at these respective universities will have similar interests to you. Thus, you can count on finding something that aligns with your prospective career path by utilizing LACN (in addition to Crusader Connections). The best way to access the LACN database is by going to Crusader Connections and selecting the “JumpTo” feature in the navigation bar.
2. Glassdoor
Glassdoor is an all-encompassing career search resource that gives a great perspective of different positions by listing the qualities, drawbacks, salaries and overall workplace environment, as depicted by current or former employees (and interns). Glassdoor prides itself on having more job listings than any other comparable career search database. Positions listed by employers are ranked on a 5-star scale; this is decided from the either positive or negative reviews from those with experience with that specific employer. I like Glassdoor because it allows you to create a profile very easily; you can list your interests and what you’re studying, so that Glassdoor will email you when positions are posted according to your specified credentials. With this, the search algorithm on Glassdoor is definitely user friendly; you can tailor your search based on position type – an internship, part-time, or full-time position, how much they pay, and the location of the specific job site. When you are ready to apply, the Glassdoor posting page will redirect you to the house for the application (usually on the company website, but sometimes through third parties like Taleo). I personally have applied to a few different internships through Glassdoor – I haven’t heard back from any yet, but because I applied to these I have received emails to let me know that similar positions have been posted. This is a great feature that really takes the load off of searching for new postings day by day; in fact, one of the really interesting data science internships I’ve applied to came to my attention from these ‘related postings emails.’ Glassdoor won’t flood your inbox either, so it’s definitely worth checking out. Also, if you enter Glassdoor through the link on the Career Development Center’s resource page, you’ll be able to view salary metrics without having to input your own.
3. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is not only a great networking outlet, but also a valuable job and internship searching tool. If you are unfamiliar, LinkedIn is essentially a professional Facebook; you create a profile that depicts your professional interests and background (tailored with information that you would normally put on a CV or resume). LinkedIn also does a great job at keeping you up-to-date with those in your professional network (like if someone views your profile, or if they endorse the skills you list on your profile). At the top of the site’s main page, there is a search bar that allows you to search for people, jobs, internships, specific companies, recent publications, etc. If you are looking for a job or internship, you simply type in what you want, and then select the “jobs” qualifier at the side. Some postings allow you to apply directly through your LinkedIn profile, whereas others will redirect you to the company page to apply. This is a feature which I believe may go unnoticed by many college-aged LinkedIn users. It is not only a great way to display your professional side, but also an effective method of getting your applications out to many different employers.
I hope that my this brief list of alternative search resources is of use to you all! Good luck on your summer-planning endeavors; remember that, on top of these aforementioned resources, there are countless others to check out (some can be found on the Career Development Centers resource page). Don’t forget that Crusader Connections should be your #1 go-to; the Career Development Center does an incredible job of cultivating CC postings through #CHC (crusaders hiring crusaders), previous SIP sites, and recent alumni who now are full-time somewhere. Best wishes!
(Written by Kyle Huges)
