Pegasus Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 So, it is looking likely that the summer research internship that DD had all lined up weeks ago may fall through due to lack of funding. I am having DD develop a plan for how to effectively spend the summer. I have some ideas of my own and thought I'd reach out to the hive for other thoughts that may not occur to us. She will be a college senior in computer science in the fall. Just a few random thoughts so far: 1. Prep for career search: update and polish resume, develop a detailed Linked In profile, visit university career center, research companies/gov't organizations who hire CS, view the federal gov't webinars for recent grads to see what sort of programs they offer, develop a federal job profile, create a state job profile, etc. 2. Self-study or online resources for computer science topics/languages that coursework isn't covering, research possible certifications, continue working on software project started with a team of classmates this semester. 3. Volunteer or part-time job. . .seems late to find something relevant to her major at this point but it is worth looking. I'm thinking her time may be more effectively spent on the first two ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 Develop her own applications? Having developed a product enhances the resume. I had a comp sci student volunteer to write me a mobile friendly version of my website. Can she find opportunities to use her knowledge to develop a portfolio of work? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 I second Regentrude's ideas. With computer science, it is possible to create your own job. Not necessarily easy, but very possible. If she can't find another internship in her field, I would encourage her to do this. She made not get paid, but she will have something to put on her resume. Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 As far as volunteering or working, if there is an interesting cause that is unique to your particular area and strikes your daughter's fancy, I'd look into that. It doesn't have to be STEM related to be useful. My STEM daughter had zero research/internships. Colleges and scholarship programs seemed much more focused on her community involvement and unique activities. Her summer before senior year was very focused on running in local races, and she had a part time job teaching skating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkT Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 https://skillcrush.com/2016/02/02/earn-more-money-freelancing-for-beginners/ https://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/20-websites-you-cant-miss-you-want-make-money-freelancer.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 6 hours ago, GoodGrief1 said: As far as volunteering or working, if there is an interesting cause that is unique to your particular area and strikes your daughter's fancy, I'd look into that. It doesn't have to be STEM related to be useful. My STEM daughter had zero research/internships. Colleges and scholarship programs seemed much more focused on her community involvement and unique activities. Her summer before senior year was very focused on running in local races, and she had a part time job teaching skating. This a rising college sr, not high school sr. i agree with advice to create her own job. She could create an app for a church, a youth organization, etc. Job shadowing might also be a good idea or look for internship opportunities to be involved in when she returns to campus in the fall....start making contacts now and doing the research for positions while she has the time to do it.. (My Dd is interviewing on Friday for a part-time academic yr internship. She will be a full-time student, so this is on top of that, but the individual she is interviewing with has all of the experience she hopes to pursue herself one day.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 8 hours ago, GoodGrief1 said: My STEM daughter had zero research/internships. Colleges and scholarship programs seemed much more focused on her community involvement and unique activities. Her summer before senior year was very focused on running in local races, and she had a part time job teaching skating. What kind of job did she get? My experience is that summer involvement is vital for a college student in order to land a good job in the field. The summer before senior year is premium; that's when connections are made and the resume is strengthened. Employers want to see students working towards their goal, especially this close to the finish line. A computer science major who spends her summer before senior year running races and teaching skating may have a fun time, but it will not be a strong contribution to her resume. That's better saved for the summer after graduation, with job offer in hand for fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Is she open to coming to Silicon Valley? She could pretty easily pick up an internship there. Here are some tips, but if she does come out, she may not return for her senior year! I wonder if there aren't any more on campus recruiting sessions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 7 hours ago, 8FillTheHeart said: This a rising college sr, not high school sr. Oh sorry, I totally missed that important bit of information! I was wondering why everyone was suddenly so intense about this poor girl's summer! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 5 hours ago, regentrude said: What kind of job did she get? My experience is that summer involvement is vital for a college student in order to land a good job in the field. The summer before senior year is premium; that's when connections are made and the resume is strengthened. Employers want to see students working towards their goal, especially this close to the finish line. Sorry, I missed the college senior part! Thought we were talking about a high school senior! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*LC Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 11 hours ago, daijobu said: Is she open to coming to Silicon Valley? She could pretty easily pick up an internship there. Here are some tips, but if she does come out, she may not return for her senior year! I wonder if there aren't any more on campus recruiting sessions? I am so sorry that her internship isn't going to happen; how frustrating. Now is the time for you to encourage your daughter that it isn't too late to try find something. If she is interested in Silicon Valley after graduation, interning there would be a good way to check it out. My oldest interned there and discovered she didn't want to live there after graduation like she had originally planned. It was much better to discover that before she moved there after graduation. It is an expensive place to live for interns and can be difficult to find housing if the startups do not pay interns or provide housing. You mentioned research internship. Is she interested in research after graduation? If so, could she talk to the person she had internship with about doing unpaid internship? Or to her professors? Depending on her school, she may be able to find inexpensive sublet for summer. No one will ever know the internship was unpaid. I just looked at indeed.com for a nearby city and companies are still posting computwr science internships. I am sure there are other websites also. Have her talk to career services at her school for ideas. If something doesn't pan out, i agree with suggestions others had for volunteer projects. Good luck with encouraging her to start again when she already did the work to get the first internship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted May 3, 2018 Author Share Posted May 3, 2018 Thank you, everyone! I will share all of this input with DD. I will encourage her to keep looking for possible internships. The one which she was offered weeks ago is not yet a definite no-go so it is hard to get her to move forward on alternatives until she knows for sure. . .by which point it may be too late. She did have an internship last summer through a different program and i agree that a second internship this summer would have been best for future job hunting prospects. Barring that, I do think job shadowing is a good idea because she isn't positive if she wants to continue pursuing research type work, government agencies, or private companies. Creating her own job (even if unpaid) by creating/producing an app or other product would be a good resume booster as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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