In this step, begin by researching job listings, internships, and/or graduate programs that you might be interested in pursuing in the next month to two years. Your focus is up to you. For example, you may decide to focus solely on one option (e.g., internships), or you may decide to look at all three options (job listings, internships, and/or graduate programs), or just two.
Be open to exploring. Cast a wide net.
Q: Okay, but I’m already applying to an internship, job, or grad program this semester.
A: Okay, but you still need to do the assignment. Research other possibilities. Remember, this project is aimed at exploring options. For instance, thinking about grad school, but not sure what’s required or what a particular program offers? Now’s the chance to explore. Thinking of applying for jobs outside the U.S., but not sure how that works? Now’s you’re chance to find out. Do you have a “dream job” or “dream industry” you’d like to work at but aren’t sure what it would take to be a great candidate? Now’s a good chance to explore. You get the point.
Q: Where do I look?
A: Last week’s pre-research assignment had you explore SDSU internship/job/grad program resources. Begin there, but there are many other outside sources, especially for jobs, including Handshake
Links to an external site., Indeed
Links to an external site., LinkedIn
Links to an external site., Glassdoor
Links to an external site., Google Jobs
Links to an external site., Monster
Links to an external site., and College Recruiter
Links to an external site. that you can explore.
What to report
After you’ve researched several job listings, internships, and/or graduate programs, narrow down your search to three possibilities. That is, from your wide-net research, identify three job listings, internships, and/or graduate programs that you might like to apply to.
Next, do a deep dive by visiting the websites of these three job listings, internships, and/or graduate programs you selected.
What to report:
Produce a three-six paragraph Write-Up of the website research you completed, one to two paragraphs for each job, internship, and/or graduate program you’ve researched. Questions to be answered are below. Note, you need to do a one to two-paragraph write-up for each job, internship, and/or graduate program you’ve researched.
Company (if you choose to research a job listing, answer these questions):
- What is the name of this company? Research the company’s mission and describe how it guides and motivates their work.
- Research the company’s overall services: What products do they sell? What’s their best-performing product (i.e., their “bread and butter�)? If it’s a service-based company, what is the full line of services offered? Is the company based in the US or is it global?
- What kinds of content are they posting on social media? What audiences are they engaging with, and what kind of feedback are they getting (be sure to look at the comment sections for this)?
- What is the tone they’re setting in that professional space, and how are they positioning or branding themselves on social?
- Overall, what’s your impression of this company?
Internship (if you choose to research an internship position, answer these questions):
- Research the company’s mission and describe how it guides and motivates their work.
- Research the company’s overall services: What products do they sell? What’s their best-performing product (i.e., their “bread and butter�)? If it’s a service-based company, what is the full line of services offered? Who is the target audience or primary user of the service? Is the company based in the US or is it global?
- What kinds of content are they posting on social media? What audiences are they engaging with, and what kind of feedback are they getting (be sure to look at the comment sections for this)?
- What is the tone they’re setting in that professional space, and how are they positioning or branding themselves on social?
- Overall, what’s your impression of this company?
Graduate Progam (if you choose to research a graduate school program, answer these questions):
1. Research the program’s mission and describe how its mission guides and motivates its work.
- Available course offerings– What kinds of courses do they offer? Do they seem interesting or relevant to your educational interests?
- What kinds of content are they posting on social media? What audiences are they engaging with, and what kind of feedback are they getting (be sure to look at the comment sections for this)?
- What is the tone they’re setting in that professional space, and how are they positioning or branding themselves on social?
- Overall, what’s your impression of this graduate program?