Land Hands-on Experience

Get real-world experience that builds your résumé.

• Choose résumé-building experiences that match your goals: Internships, part-time jobs, on-campus jobs, fellowships, or micro-internships.
• Use the Career Action Plan Template to plan deadlines.
• Search in Handshake; filter by internship, fellowship, on-campus, or part-time.
  • Use keywords that match your interests (e.g., community outreach, public policy, research assistant, program coordinator, or media production).
• Apply early — many jobs open 3 to 6 months in advance.

Customize your application for each opportunity.

• Use our Résumé & Letter Builder to get started.
  • Use our College Résumé Sample as a guide.
  • Get feedback with the AI Review or Submit for Human Review feature.
  • See formatting tips in our College Résumé Guide.
• Write your cover letter with our Cover Letter Guide and use our samples in the builder.
  • Use the AI Review or Submit for Human Review to improve your letter.

Show up with confidence.

• Use our Interview Practice System
  • Choose a mock interview; select general, industry, or admissions.
  • Get step-by-step feedback using the AI Review feature.
  • Explore 10,000+ practice questions by industry and career level.
• Visit the Career Clothing Closet to dress confidently for interviews in your field.

Meet employers and learn what they’re looking for.

• Go to the Handshake Events tab; attend events labeled employer info, hiring, or career fair
• Dress professionally; visit the Career Clothing Closet.
• Create your professional intro; use our Professional Brand Worksheet and Brand Review.
• Go to the Employers tab in Handshake; filter by industry (e.g., movies, social assistance, biotech & life sciences, or healthcare).
• Follow employers you’re interested in to get updates on job postings and career tips.

• Add class projects to your Handshake profile.
• Get a free professional photo at our Career Photo Booth.
• Build your LinkedIn profile using the LinkedIn Profile Checklist.
• Write your intro using our Professional Brand Worksheet.