Winter Break is the perfect time for you to focus strengthening your resume, building your network, and enhancing your portfolio. While you take time to recharge, choose one or two goals to make this break a productive step towards achieving your career goals!
Gain Experience: Take on a short-term job, internship, or freelance opportunity. Seasonal gigs can help you develop transferable skills like teamwork and communication, while internships and freelance work will boost your resume and expand your experience. Reach out to local businesses, agencies, and media outlets in your area that may need extra help during the holiday season.
Complete a Certification or Skill Course: Use your downtime to enhance your skills through platforms like LinkedIn Learning or Forage (P.S. it's free!). A new certification in graphic design, coding, or project management can elevate your portfolio and provide talking points for future interviews.
Build or Update Your Portfolio: A strong portfolio showcases your skills and accomplishments to potential employers. Use winter break to organize and curate your best work, whether it’s writing samples, design projects, videos, or presentations. Include detailed descriptions of each piece to highlight your role and the impact of your work. If you’re missing key projects, consider creating something new, like a mock campaign, case study, or creative piece relevant to your field.
Expand Your Professional Network: Take time to connect with alumni or industry professionals through LinkedIn or Cane2Cane. Connect with indiviuals in your industry to set up informational interviews or ask about shadowing opportunities. Personalize your outreach, express genuine interest, and ask advice about their field. Networking can help you make valuable connections that can lead to future opportunities.
