Exploration and experimentation are necessary for future decision making and summer is prime time to try something new. You’ll want to try stuff, learn from the good and the hard, reflect, and make meaning of your experiences.
There are a lot of great ways to take action. You can do one or a combination of these things: volunteer, shadow, take a summer job that will expose you to something new, work on classes or a personal project, intern, interview professionals about their work.
Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning:
- Use our WashU database for jobs and internships: Handshake is a critical resource that allows you to look for positions, information sessions, and events for WashU students.
- Volunteer: Idealist and Catchafire are both sites that post opportunities for you to donate your skills to organizations in need of support.Â
- Check career advice/posting websites: Idealist is an excellent source for internships and volunteer positions for all kinds of functional roles in the non-profit sector. Indeed also posts opportunities.
- Network and reach out for informational chats:Â Talking with people to learn about their challenges, rewards, ideas and advice is one of the most valuable ways to understand organizations and industries. This helps you evaluate your interest and become more knowledgeable.Â
- Prepare for future research: Identify your research interests and look for research mentors through the Office of Undergraduate Research.
- Sharpen your skills: Watch video tutorials covering business, creative and technology topics on LinkedIn Learning (free to current WashU students).
For tactical help or a confidence boost- without an appointment- you can stop by our office in DUC 110 to talk with a Career Peer. Career Peers are students; they’ve been in your shoes and can share their own stories and advice.