As the fall semester comes to an end, set aside some time in the midst of the season of good cheer to work on advancing your career journey so that you will be prepared for the spring semester. Here are five career-conscious activities for your winter break.
#1: Spruce up your resume and plan for next semester. Breaks are the perfect time to update and polish your resume. Incorporate any internships or jobs you may have done over the fall semester so that your work experience is up to date. In addition, add any new clubs or activities. The Career Center offers appointments over most of winter break, so consider scheduling a one-on-one meeting to improve your application documents. Think about building your resume through brief internships, shadowing, and/or volunteer opportunities. Remember that winter break is a pivotal time to consider spring and summer internship and career opportunities. Be mindful of deadlines for application and if you will be registering internship credit.
#2: Research fields of work and different types of careers. Part of the free time of winter break can be used to do the career research you may not have had time for during the semester. Consider the classes you took this past semester: what new skills have you learned? Are there any new possible careers you have learned about? Are there any career options you'd like to explore? Your newfound free time can give you an opportunity to research all these possibilities. Access the website "What Can I Do With This Major?" or use FOCUS on the Mount's Career Center webpage to learn more about different career paths your major opens up for you. Other areas you can research are internship programs and job/internship descriptions to get a better idea of what interests you in the workforce. This can help you plan for the future and assess how prepared you are for your desired profession.
#3: Pursue more knowledge about career topics. Another way to use some free time over break is learning more about career topics. These topics could include anything from specifics about your desired field of work to general information about job and internship searching. Consider podcasts, YouTube videos, blogs and books. Some podcasts you can look into include "Dare to Lead," by Brene Brown, and episode 2.8 of the Mount's "Admit It" podcast. The former showcases thoughtful perspectives on topics such as imposter syndrome, feedback and mindset, while the latter features an interview on forming a career action plan for your time at the Mount. Worthwhile books include Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles, Hit the Job Running by Andrea Dolph, Lynda Clemens and Ray Sarnaki, and Getting from College to Career by Lindsey Pollack. LinkedIn Learning is also a useful resource for following thought-provoking professionals and for accessing career-related articles online.
#4: Network with people at home. Given the importance of networking to career success, it’s always beneficial to be networking. Being at home gives you the opportunity to form professional connections through family and friends. If anything, be open to new opportunities and meeting new people. Unsure of what to say to an extended family member at a holiday gathering? Consider telling them about your career interests and asking questions about their career endeavors.
#5: Relax and destress! Equally as important as furthering your career is taking time to destress. Set aside time to continue on your career path, but also take time to rest, be with your family and enjoy the holidays. If you care for your mental and physical well-being over winter break, you will likely be healthier and more prepared to succeed at the beginning of the spring semester.