Hello to all and Happy Holidays!
As the Brandeis community relishes the days ahead (when we can take a break from classes, work, and the general chaos of everyday life!) and heads into the New Year, The Engagement Team hopes you will keep in mind the following advice for a happy Winter Break and successful start to 2022.
1. Enjoy your break! You all have been working extremely hard in class and in the job and internship search, and it is okay to take some time for yourself to rest and enjoy friends and family. Many companies and organizations also take time off during the holiday season so you don’t need to feel guilty about slowing down for a minute to have fun. However, we strongly urge you to put aside some time over the coming weeks to ensure your resume is up to date and that you have a plan of action in place for when we return for the second semester.
2. Be prepared to jump back into your job and internship search upon your return! While many companies take a brief hiatus from looking at applications during the holiday season, they also come back from their breaks with a renewed vigor. While a handful of larger organizations have already completed the majority of their internship and job searches, many companies view January and February as the prime search and hiring timeframe for the summer months. Over the break, continue searching for jobs and internships that interest you. Apply if the window is open and if you feel prepared to do so. However, know that many jobs and internships will open for the first time at the start of the New Year and we do not want you feeling unprepared for when that happens.
3. Reconnect with your Career Coach! Many of you have already utilized your career coaches effectively in preparing your resumes and discussing how to approach your job and internship searches. Upon your return, it is imperative that you reconnect with them and touch base on where you are in your career search process. If you have already secured a position, are still looking or are just generally unsure of how best to proceed next in the process, your coach is there to help! Tell them about the job or internship you already secured, let them take another look at your resume, or just schedule some time to chat about your classes and how things are going. This will ultimately help you in the long run.
All the best to you and yours this holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year!
Ryan Olthoff is Assistant Director, Engagement. Learn more about Ryan and connect with him here.
