10 action steps Oregon State students can take now
Join professional organizations related to your field. If broad professional sites like LinkedIn feel overwhelming, dial in your efforts by focusing on sites specifically related to the field you want to enter. Professional organizations are good for networking opportunities, and many associated have job boards; most also have free or lower-cost membership rates for students.
Not sure which orgs to join? Here are a few ways to get started:
Browse OSU’s list of organizations with the “academic & professional” filter turned on.
Do a search for “XXXX industry here + professional organizations.”
Know who’s hiring now. Get familiar with typical hiring timelines – if you need a job now, jobs in government or academia, which have longer lead times, won’t be your best bet. (Learn more about academic job searching and typical academic timelines). What are some private industries that interest you?
Don’t rule out short-term work. Internships, seasonal or short term work can be a good bridge to the next phase of your career. You’re still adding to your resume, earning income and building your network even if it’s not a long-term position.
Handshake is a job board focused on college students and recent grads; it’s a good spot to look for internships and seasonal positions.
AmeriCorps, City Year, the Peace Corps and other service organizations offer one- or two-year programs where students can gain experience before pursuing longer-term employment.
Parker-Dewey offers paid micro-internships: anywhere from 5 to 40 hours per week of work, with many opportunities that can be completed remotely.
Focus on skills, not just just job titles. Ask a career advisor or an AI tool to help you analyze your resume for transferable skills. Are there jobs you’re qualified for that you’ve been missing out on?
Suppose you’ve been thinking of being a park ranger, which requires skills like “promoting environmental conservation” and “communicating well with diverse groups of people.” What other jobs need those skills? Can you search for job listings based on skills rather than titles?
If your long-term goal is to join an industry that’s currently facing a hiring freeze or downturn, don’t be deterred from taking other work until your dream industry bounces back. For example, if you’ve been looking for jobs in the federal government, use our government agency mapping tool to find similar job listings in state or local government agencies.
Tap into your Oregon State network. Through the OSU Alumni Association you can join OSU Connections, an OSU-specific professional network with 5,000+ members, for free.
Get tips on how to ask OSU alumni in industries you’re interested in for advice and job leads, including good questions to ask and email scripts you can use when you’re reaching out.
You can also join the OSU-specific LinkedIn group: Beaver Careers.
Upskill with purpose. Not getting jobs? Do a skills inventory and analyze your gaps.
Not sure what skills you lack? Ask AI to help you analyze. Sample prompts could include: “What are the top skills for a programmer? For a _____?.”
You can also supply a sample job listing you are interested in as well as your current resume (make sure to remove your personally identifying information, such as your name, email and address, before uploading), and then ask your favorite AI tool to perform a skills gap analysis.
Take advantage of an AI-assisted appointment at the Career Development Center and use the combination of skilled human plus a custom AI tool that’s been trained on OSU-specific career resources.
Once you know where you need to grow, use LinkedIn Learning while it’s still free to you as an OSU student to build up your resume.
Train your algorithms. Follow organizations you like on Handshake and LinkedIn, favorite jobs you like, and set up alerts for job categories you are interested in so you are the first to know when new jobs are posted.
Revisit your priorities and broaden your scope. Which is more important right now – high pay OR staying close to your romantic partner or your family? Working in a dream location OR landing a job in a dream industry? Chase after your most important goal in your first job, then after you’ve gained a little experience, you can land a job that nails multiple values.
Focus2 is a career assessment tool that’s free to Oregon State students; it can help you think through your values if you’re not sure what you’re looking for in your first job.
Get expert advice. The Career Development Center, OSU-Cascades Career Center, and the OSU Alumni Association offer career events and workshops every month that are focused on helping you build career skills and build your network.
Mahi Pandey landed an international internship working with endangered cheetahs
Here’s how she did it and how you can, too.
Mahi Pandey, a 2024 graduate of Oregon State’s Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Science program, helped care for cheetahs during her internship at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia.
About Mahi: Class of 2024, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Science major. An international student, Mahi is from the city of Lucknow in Utter Pradesh, India.
“This internship was such an amazing experience,” she said. “I learned so much from all the rotations.”
Mahi did everything from caring for the 27 resident cheetahs to going out in the field to collect data. She also worked on the model farm – as part of the CCF’s mission to reduce conflict between farmers and wildlife, they breed livestock guarding dogs and place them with local farmers.
“During one rotation, I was part of a puppy placement. I got to drop the livestock guarding dog puppy off with the farmer and learn more about the farms in Namibia and the ongoing human-wildlife conflict. That really made me fond of the model farm department,” she said. “Then there was also husbandry, which is working with the cheetahs, and that’s awesome. In the ecology department you work with data but also go out in the field. It was all very fascinating and interesting,”
Daily life in Namibia: Mahi lived in on-site housing – a small cottage – at the CCF facility and ate meals at a staff dining hall. The closest town, Ojiwagongo, was about 45 minutes away.
Her fellow interns at the CCF came from all over the world (including one fellow intern from Oregon State), but they all communicated in English. Mahi said the relationships she built and the hours they spent talking around the campfire, singing karaoke, and playing card games, are some of her best memories.
“Usually I would take animals over humans any time,” Mahi said. “In some part of my mind, I thought that I would be going just to work with cheetahs and focus only on animals. But I was so wrong. I ended up making so many good friends and so many great memories. They were the friendliest people I’ve ever met – genuinely good people who genuinely care about nature.”
Mahi’s internship with the Cheetah Conservation Foundation included rotations through several different functional areas of the program, including the on-site clinic.
How she found it: Mahi had already been successful in on-campus jobs, but she wanted to get experience related to her major and hadn’t had luck landing a conservation-focused internship. One morning, she was listening to a science video while getting ready for her day. Her ears perked up when she heard the zoologist in the video say that she’d attended Oregon State University and completed an internship working with cheetahs.
“I stopped getting ready and just turned all my attention to my phone,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘What? Cheetahs? Where, when, how? I want to know about it!”
That day on campus, Mahi asked her advisor how she could find out more, and her advisor directed her to the Office of Global Opportunities – OSU GO. In addition to coordinating study abroad classes, OSU GO partners with trusted organizations to offer more than 100 international internships. Their internships can be as short as 4 weeks or can last a full year, with opportunities available in all corners of the globe and in multiple subject areas.
How to apply: Before applying to the cheetah internship, Mahi first had to complete steps to get involved in OSU GO, including a Canvas module to learn about the processes, costs and steps involved. She then interviewed with an internship coordinator, was selected to move forward, and worked with the coordinator to make her application to the CCF as strong as she could.
“I took the advice of my internship coordinator to edit my resume and cover letter,” she said. “I thought it was good enough, but my coordinator wanted it to be very tailored and very specific – that was something I learned from her.”
Finally, she was selected for the CCF program and began preparing for the trip.
Overseas internship costs: International internships can involve extra costs, including airfare and other travel expenses. Mahi used OSU’s ScholarDollars portal to find aid to offset her costs. Mahi was able to collect enough scholarships to fund about 80 percent of her expenses, and her parents helped with the rest.
“Don’t hesitate to ask around in your department if they provide any funding for unpaid internships or abroad experiences,” Mahi said. “They will tell you exactly which scholarship to look for on the ScholarDollars portal or which other places you can look to for funding.”
Learn more about funding options for international experiences.
Advice for future interns:
“I would say do it: it’s a really good experience,” Mahi said.
Since Mahi is herself an international student who traveled from India to the U.S. to attend Oregon State, she already believed in the power of experiencing new cultures and understanding new perspectives – her internship in Namibia only strengthened her love for travel.
“Traveling is a really good way for you to explore your strengths,” she said. “It made me realize I could handle myself alone. And it makes you see other people, people from a completely different culture and background than you, in a new way. It helps you get a better view of the world.”
The experience also deepened her love for nature and her desire for a career working with wildlife.
“It solidified things for me. I want to stay in conservation, and I want to work more with carnivore conservation and human-wildlife conflict,” she said. “When I went to Namibia, I was not only able to work with one of my favorite species, but also learn about their conservation efforts and see how they are dealing with human-wildlife conflict mitigation. I got that reassurance – yes, this is what I want to continue working with.”
Job searching can be time consuming – instead of spending hours scrolling, use these suggested tools to focus your search on specific industries, companies, and areas.
Find jobs just for college students & recent grads
Handshake is a national job board and search tool that focuses just on internships and early-career opportunities. When employers post jobs to Handshake, they are specifically looking for college students, so you won’t be stuck in a sea of jobs with 5 years of experience already required.
Handshake is already connected to your Oregon State account, so it loads basic information like your major, and will automatically surface jobs in your industry. Build your profile further by specifying your interests, activities, and work history.
Change your profile settings so that you are visible to employers (student profiles are set to private by default, and it’s up to you to choose who can view yours).
Use Handshake’s custom filters to save alerts for jobs in specific locations or types to find relevant job opportunities.
Search keywords, not job titles. If you’re interested in a job that’s somehow related to “marketing” or “sustainability” but aren’t picky about specific job titles, do a keyword search on your filtered jobs. Handshake will search all text in both job titles and descriptions to find matches.
Save jobs that catch your eye even if you’re not ready to apply. Handshake will then show you similar jobs the next time you log in. It will also send you reminders about deadlines for jobs you’ve saved.
The Buzzfile’s Employer by Major tool is an indexing service of top employers that sorts by size, location, and industry. If you know you will be spending the summer near your hometown, or you want to move to specific city after graduation, use Buzzfile to search for employers that hire people from your major. Then make a list of your top companies, check their websites for job postings, and begin networking with them.
If you’re a student at the Corvallis or Cascades campuses and you want to focus your job search on Oregon, try the site QualityInfo.org. It’s a tool created by the Oregon Employment Department with Oregon-focused job listing and industry data. Mac’s List is specific to the Northwest. Many other states also have state-specific job boards run by their employment department.
Find employers specific to your industry
While job tools like Handshake, Indeed and LinkedIn are great for broad searches, to narrow your search you can try more niche job boards that focus on specific industries.
USAJobs is the site for federal government jobs, so if you’re looking for positions with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, NASA, FBI, Department of Energy, or many others, look here.
State, county and local governments (State of California, for example) typically post jobs on their own websites.
Faculty/academic jobs: Chronicle Vitae, a service of the Chronicle of Higher Education, is a hub for graduate level, faculty, research and other academic positions.
Many professional associations have college chapters at OSU, including the American Institute of Aeronautics, Associated General Contractors of America, The Forest Stewards Guild, the Society of Healthcare Executives, and more. Use the OSU Clubs database and sort by category “academic and professional” to find an association in an industry you’re interested in, then reach out to learn about networking and job possibilities.
Get jobs sent to you
You don’t have time to visit all these job boards every day, so make them work for you. Most job sites allow you to set up job alerts that will do the work for you, emailing you when a new job that fits your criteria pops up.
Hundreds of students find employment in on-campus jobs like working as cashiers in on-campus markets and restaurants.
An on-campus job is a great way to earn money, and also to gain skills and experience that will boost your resume when you’re ready to launch your career. On-campus jobs are typically flexible and will allow you to schedule your work shifts around your classes.
Student employment ranges from general support jobs that are applicable to students in any major (working in dining centers, office assistants, custodial positions) to jobs that are more specialized and may require certain skill sets (some lab and research positions, web and graphic designers, teaching assistants).
Here’s how to find a campus job:
Check the Oregon State jobs portal. Go to jobs.oregonstate.edu and click on “Student Employment Opportunities.” You can filter by department or search by keyword such as “research” or “marketing.” New jobs are posted frequently and updated throughout the year.
Prepare a resume. Once you have found a job you’re interested in, tailor your resume to highlight any experience or skills that might be relevant to the position. If this is your first job, that’s perfectly fine! Skills and knowledge gained you’ve gained through coursework, group projects, volunteering, sports and clubs are all relevant for student employment, and Oregon State offers numerous ways for students to get help translating those skills onto a resume:
Get instant feedback from OSU’s online resume help system, Vmock.
Meet one-on-one with a Career Assistant (a peer advisor) or a Career Advisor (a professional staff member who works with students in specific colleges or majors).
Apply online. The Oregon State jobs portal will prompt you to create an online account to submit your application. You can email the Student Employment team for help if you have any difficulties with the jobs portal.
Practice interviewing. Sitting down in front of a prospective employer and talking about yourself can feel awkward – taking time to practice beforehand helps!
Check out sample interview questions listed on the Career Development Center’s website, and recruit a friend, roommate or family member to do a practice session.
Do an online, interactive practice interview with OSU’s virtual interview prep tool, StandOut.
Follow up. Leaving a positive final impression matters; thank the person who interviews you, both at the end of the interview, and again within 24 hours via email.
Are you making the most of LinkedIn? As of 2023, it’s the 16th-largest website in the world (just two spots below Tiktok!), and it’s also a completely free way to build an online presence that can boost your job or internship search.
Check out these five ways you can maximize LinkedIn to achieve your career goals.
Step one: create a profile.
Think of your profile as a digital version of your resume – it’s a place to show off who you are and the skills you can bring to a new organization.
Don’t think that because you’re still in college, you don’t have anything to add. Even if you don’t have extensive work experience, or you’re in the middle of changing careers, you can highlight the skills you’ve gained just being a student.
Start simple: begin with your name, a profile photo, and what you’re studying at OSU, then build it up from there. Here’s how to get started.
Even if you’re not looking for a job today, you will be someday. Build a network now so that when you need a job, you have a ready-made community you can turn to for introductions or tips on job openings.
First, search LinkedIn for people you already know: friends, co-workers, past bosses, professors, and advisors. Don’t forget current classmates – they’ll be a valuable network for you in the future.
Then, reach out to people you WANT to know. It’s normal and acceptable to send a connection invite to OSU alumni or people with jobs you find interesting. Try to find a point of common ground, such as a shared interest or a mutual acquaintance, and personalize your request.
How to connect with OSU alumni:
Find Oregon State on LinkedIn and click on the alumni tab. Use the search tool to find alumni from your college or major, or who are working at companies you’re interested in, then send them a personalized connection request.
Sample connection invitations you can modify:
Hi Xiomara – I am currently a senior studying mechanical engineering at Oregon State and hope to enter the aerospace industry upon graduation. I noticed that you are an OSU graduate with experience in this industry. I would love to connect with you and learn more about your career path. Thanks in advance! – Phuong Quynh
Hi Mikayla – I am currently studying graphic design at Oregon State University and hope to work for a creative agency one day. I loved your recent post about the brand redesign you did for XYZ client – it was fascinating to hear your behind-the-scenes process. I’d love to connect and learn more about how you got started in this field. – Elliott Hashimoto
Once you’ve joined LinkedIn, you can increase your visibility by staying active. Even if you just post an update or comment on others’ posts once a month or so, you’re building a reputation as a positive member of an online community.
Join a group. Just like other social platforms, there are subgroups on LinkedIn for all kinds of interests. Enter a keyword related to your major or potential career in the search bar at the top, then click “groups” to filter your search results. Tip: Start by joining the Beaver Careers Group.
Share personal updates. You could post about a project you just completed for class or write about a small victory: “Just finished my last final! This term was tough but I loved my horticulture class – I learned so much about plant identification!”
Re-post an article you liked and take advantage of LinkedIn’s “repost with your thoughts” button to add a sentence or two about why you found it interesting.
Not sure which courses to take? Do a search for jobs you might be interested in, then look at the qualifications listed. Are you missing anything? LinkedIn Learning might have a class you could take to fill in that gap. It’s a great (and free!) way to build on what you’re learning at OSU. Check out courses related to business, technology, and creative skills.
Step five: Get job alerts.
Your LinkedIn profile is also the key to an enormous job posting network. Instead of browsing through individual listings, use the platform’s automated tools to get notified about jobs that would be a good fit for you.
Make sure that you’ve added skills to your profile (these could be personal skills like communication or teamwork, or skills specific to your field, like Python coding or market research). LinkedIn will use your listed skills to auto-suggest jobs for you every time you log in.
To set up job alerts based on your own preferences, click “Jobs” from the LinkedIn top menu bar, then select “preferences” and “job alerts.”
You can also search for a job on LinkedIn, and then filter the results for things like job type (full-time, part-time, internship), job location, and experience level.
Want to learn more about LinkedIn?
Use these videos to make your LinkedIn presence even better.
