Do Something This Summer

Image Courtesy of Sanderling Heathcare

I would love to work for Sanderling Heathcare. Actually no, I think the picture above is really funny....but it looks like a fun place to work, haha.

Anyway, to the point- Do something with your life this summer! 

I know that many of you are unemployed, especially those looking for engineering internships. The economy is tough out there. However, it doesn't mean there is a lack of opportunity. There are many people I am graduating with who have no experience. Zero, zip, none...and they kinda wonder why they can't get a job....there's nothing to put on their resume! So here are some examples for you to brain storm:

• Volunteer...anywhere...homeless shelter/women's shelter/non-profit organization/city council/local library/senior center/community center...ANYWHERE!
• Get a job...anywhere- Coffee shop, book store, donut shop, research lab, IT place, Best Buy, Target, In-and-Out, Kid's summer camp, restaurant...you won't be able to have these jobs once you graduate as an engineer.
• Start/Join a Design Team/Research Lab. Get some hands on work, and solve a problem from beginning to end. For information on Design Teams at UC Davis, click on the highlighted links. For Research related information, click here and here for previous blog posts.

Do something different (for you), learn something, and think about the following questions for future interviews:

• How did you work in groups? Was there a problem? How did you resolve it?
• What are your strengths?
• (The dreaded one) What are your weaknesses?
• What are you interested in doing for a career?

So get out there and do something.

-Serena

PS Even if you are taking summer school, try and have a project on the side...whether it be a job, research, design team, volunteer, etc. It'll be something, and will still give you experience.