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Between classes, activities, or clubs, and anything else that busy Bentley students occupy their time with, recruitment season for each major can bring more stress into the mix. Below are some ways that you can make sure to alleviate some of that stress, as well as manage all of your many activities and responsibilities.
- Start early.
Make sure that you’ve been actively improving your resume and getting ready to rock your recruitment season. For finance and accounting majors, especially, as our recruitment season is already in full swing and many companies have internship applications closing soon. There’s nothing worse than not having a chance with your favorite company because you were too late to submit an application, so make sure you’re aware of those quickly-approaching deadlines!
- Organize and time-manage.
Job searching may feel more important than your coursework, but it’s actually not. In fact, employers really scrutinize your academic performance, so you should definitely be managing your time efficiently. Set small goals, such as applying to several companies but also finding time to read your textbooks and do your homework. Balance is key, which can be a difficult rule to follow, due to the stress of finding an internship (especially if your offer was rescinded this past summer). Even if that’s the case, try not to fall behind on your coursework to reduce recruitment stress.
- Attend events, but be selective.
While it would be ideal to attend all of the wonderful events on CareerEdge and Handshake to get exposure to different companies and industries, it may not be the best use of your time, especially if you’re finding it difficult to keep up with your other responsibilities. Some students work, tutor, have practice, on top of being members of clubs and having 4, 5, or 6 Bentley classes. It’s not realistic to expect that you attend all of the events that are interesting, so definitely prioritize companies that you would like to expose yourself to, and don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t attend a recruiting event because of a schedule conflict.
PRO TIP: If you know anybody affiliated with the company hosting the event, send them a quick LinkedIn message or email expressing how your schedule prevented you from attending and that you would love to connect and learn about more future networking opportunities.
- Have a routine.
Hear me out. If you have specific times of different days blocked out for applying, it will become a habit. Which is good, because you should continue applying until you receive and accept an offer. To get yourself in the mood for professional advancement via job and internship applications, prepare a special snack or listen to some of your favorite music if that is something that won’t distract you. Since applying for jobs can feel cumbersome and it is an extra time-consuming part of college, make sure to reward yourself and make it feel fun.
- Help is here if you need it!
Finding it difficult to take care of everything yourself? Don’t know how to properly use all of Bentley’s career resources? Need somebody to talk to about professional advancement? Drop-in for Career Colleague hours for some help or use Handshake to schedule a meeting with your Career Coach. You can discuss your goals and also prioritize your job search!
- Take breaks.
Make sure to give yourself time to not worry about jobs or internships. Hang out with friends (socially-distanced and following all of Bentley University’s COVID-19 rules and guidelines), listen to a favorite podcast, or read a novel! Stress is almost inevitable during the busy college trimesters, especially during these tough times. Know that there are many different resources available to you to get jobs and internships, even after your recruitment season is over, and that you can take a deep breath. Take care of yourself and try to apply to jobs and internships when you have time.
