2 of 16

Agenda

Mindset
Materials
Connections
Application Strategies
Interviews
Stay Active
Plus - Tips for students who have some time to prepare

3 of 16

Career & Internship Center

134 Mary Gates Hall

Open 9:00-5:00

Email address

(askcic@uw.edu)

Website

(https://careers.uw.edu)

4 of 16

Mindset (1 of 2)

Job searching is hard work but keep at it!

Don’t let negative headlines scare you off from applying.
Avoid comparing yourself to others.
Know that rejection is an inevitable part of the job search process.
Try not to take ghosting or rejection personally.
Implement self-care and resilience strategies that work for you.

5 of 16

Mindset (2 of 2)

Try to keep an open mind about…

Sectors (corporate, non-profit, government, healthcare, education)
Industries (tech, automotive, entertainment, hospitality, etc.)
Employer types, sizes, names
Job titles and levels
Geographic location
Pay and benefits

6 of 16

Materials (1 of 2)

Make sure your materials show what employers are looking for

Include career readiness competencies when describing experiences.
Mention accomplishments, metrics, and results when possible.
Include internships, part-time jobs, volunteer experiences, class projects, leadership roles, and more.

7 of 16

Materials (2 of 2)

Putting in the effort now should reduce your overall job search time

If using Gen AI tools, be sure to edit and personalize.
Tailor the materials you submit for each job.
Seek guidance and feedback on your materials.
Use Jobscan to ensure your resume matches each job description.
If a cover letter is “optional”...write one.

8 of 16

Connections

The importance of human connections in the job search cannot be overstated

Ask friends and family for intros to professionals you could learn from.
Attend career fairs because the recruiters are actively hiring!
Attend networking events because they provide a friendly environment to get advice.
Use Husky Landing to build relationships with helpful Huskies.
Send messages to alumni with interesting career paths in LinkedIn.
Follow-up after events and interviews.

9 of 16

Application Strategies (1 of 2)

Handshake is an amazing tool

You’ll find 70,000 roles!
Complete your profile so employers can reach out to you.
Fill out your career interests to surface relevant positions.
Experiment with different filter and keyword combinations.
Save your searches.
Directly message employers and students.
“Follow” employers to be notified about new opportunities.

10 of 16

Application Strategies (2 of 2)

Use more than one platform or method

LinkedIn, Indeed, and other aggregation sites can be useful tools.
Interstride can help domestic students look abroad and international students look in the U.S.
Actively check various company websites.
And, of course, use the strategies in the Connections section!

11 of 16

Interviews

Intention, preparation, and practice are necessary

Demonstrate how your skills and experience will help you contribute.
Analyze the job description and the company website.
Provide concrete stories from past experiences using the STAR method.
Use Yoodli to practice, get feedback, and refine your answers.

12 of 16

Stay Active

While waiting to land a role, keep…

Building skills and expertise through LinkedIn Learning, Forage, etc.
Making genuine professional connections.
Getting experience through internships, volunteer work, etc.
Fine-tuning your materials and approach

13 of 16

In Summary

To maximize your chances, please don’t…

Do the bare minimum.
Apply and connect only online.
Send generic materials that took little time or thought.
Apply indiscriminately to hundreds of jobs.
Apply only to dream jobs.
Forget you can keep building skills and experience while job searching.

14 of 16

Lastly, for Students Applying Later

Be intentional with your time now

Build career readiness competencies
Get experience through internships and internship-like experiences
Cultivate professional connections
Complete your Handshake profile
Create a well-done LinkedIn profile
Write a baseline resume

15 of 16

Helpful Resources

Career & Internship Center website

(https://careers.uw.edu/)

Free Career Platform Subscriptions for Huskies

(https://careers.uw.edu/resources/category/free-subscriptions-for-huskies/)

Career Planning pages

(https://careers.uw.edu/channels/career-planning/)

Handshake

(https://uw.joinhandshake.com/)

1 of 16