Weekly Reflection #9

Having the guest panel of alumni speakers was really helpful. Not only did it allow me to visualize where I could be in some years but they also gave us a lot of helpful insights. A lot of us are in the same situation where we are sort of stressing about not being able to secure an internship at this point in the year.

There was a few methods that they recommended. One of them was applying to over a hundred internships because it improves the odds of us finding internships. There would be more emails from recruiters; maybe thirty. From all of those, maybe do well in two interviews and get an offer from one.

Another method was creating connection. You would invite professionals to have a coffee chat with you. There would have to be a connection made first. For example, enjoying their work, going to the same school, growing up in the same city, etc. Through that, there could be mentorship or even a recommendation to their company.

To me personally, they recommended adding more UX keywords into my resume, since I have more graphic design experience; though, they said that my experience is valued and not a negative. That I should try to apply to more internships that prefer visual design experience. After the talk, I have put those recommendations into practice. I have even started modifying my resume to try to match the jobs I'm applying to, rather than just sending in a general resume. I will try to connect with one of the panelists this weekend since I will have a little bit more time for any additional tips; maybe mentorship.