5 answers
Juan
Student
Centennial, Colorado
1
Question
Updated
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How can I better set myself up for internships/jobs while in community college and planning to transfer to a 4-year university ?
I'm in a community college right now and find it difficult creating a proper resume and don't feel like I've done enough in school to set myself up for an internship or job.
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5 answers
Patrick S
Security Specialist
16
Answers
Las Vegas, Nevada
Updated
Patrick’s Answer
Juan,
The best thing you can do to set yourself up for an internship while in college is to speak to your professors or counselors first. Additionally, there is typically career fairs that happen quarterly or semi-yearly that you can attend to find an internship.
Also look for career counselors or local city employment resource centers where they can mentor and help you create your resume. There are various videos and articles online that can teach you how to draft one as well any in any word processor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word.
The first job is always difficult and can seem impossible –however you will soon notice over time it gets easier as you continue to job hop. You can better yourself for an internship in the meantime by participating in college groups and events (which would look good on your resume as well). I used to participate in the cyber competitions or events my professor hosted which helped with my applications.
Best of luck!
- Patrick
The best thing you can do to set yourself up for an internship while in college is to speak to your professors or counselors first. Additionally, there is typically career fairs that happen quarterly or semi-yearly that you can attend to find an internship.
Also look for career counselors or local city employment resource centers where they can mentor and help you create your resume. There are various videos and articles online that can teach you how to draft one as well any in any word processor like Google Docs or Microsoft Word.
The first job is always difficult and can seem impossible –however you will soon notice over time it gets easier as you continue to job hop. You can better yourself for an internship in the meantime by participating in college groups and events (which would look good on your resume as well). I used to participate in the cyber competitions or events my professor hosted which helped with my applications.
Best of luck!
- Patrick
Logan Johnson
Cybersecurity Incident Response
4
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Logan’s Answer
A big one is extracurriculars. Everything said above is true and are good to do. What I have found in both my own career and watching what helped my students, was how you can expand your resume to be more than just "I have a degree".
So for many this involves Certifications, which can be extremely useful for showing employers that you have entry level knowledge. For cybersecurity in specific, I recommend Security+ at minimum, then Network+, CYSA+ and Pentest+ in that order.
Another big way to expand your resume are competitions. Many disciplines hold competitive student events in order to give you an environment to test your skills against your peers. For example, Cybersecurity majors NEED to be involved with the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC). It will teach you things the classroom never can.
Just keep your mind in the space of:
A) How do I make myself different from my peers. We're all getting a degree, so how can I be more than that.
B) What extracurriculars can I get involved in that show I'm not just learning, but also applying the knowledge
So for many this involves Certifications, which can be extremely useful for showing employers that you have entry level knowledge. For cybersecurity in specific, I recommend Security+ at minimum, then Network+, CYSA+ and Pentest+ in that order.
Another big way to expand your resume are competitions. Many disciplines hold competitive student events in order to give you an environment to test your skills against your peers. For example, Cybersecurity majors NEED to be involved with the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC). It will teach you things the classroom never can.
Just keep your mind in the space of:
A) How do I make myself different from my peers. We're all getting a degree, so how can I be more than that.
B) What extracurriculars can I get involved in that show I'm not just learning, but also applying the knowledge
Jerome Dees Jr.
Sales Professional and Networking Expert
666
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Jerome’s Answer
It’s never too late to start improving your résumé. I found that through volunteering and giving back to local community that I could not only learn new skills, but I could also put that on my resume.
I was at that there are clubs and associations at the community college that you could join, which would also give you something to share. Through networking in those small circles, you may even find a connection that can be beneficial.
I was at that there are clubs and associations at the community college that you could join, which would also give you something to share. Through networking in those small circles, you may even find a connection that can be beneficial.
Vedran Te Connectivity
Product builder , inspector
1
Answer
Galway
Updated
Vedran’s Answer
Well, that is a good question! Planning ahead while you're still in community college can make a huge difference.
Maintain high grades—this is especially important for transferring to a competitive 4-year school and for being considered for internships. Also, you've figured out quite early that you need to work on your resume and gain some experience, which is great.
I personally would advise you to look at some local businesses where you can apply for internships. It doesn't need to be anything too time-consuming because of your school. Nonprofit organizations always need some help and are more than happy to welcome volunteers. It will give you great insight into the core of the business, and it will show your future employers that you already have some experience.
Connect with professors, mentors, and professionals on LinkedIn. It's always good to have contacts in your field—whatever it is—and to maintain those relationships.
Practice interviewing and be ready to talk about your skills, projects, and goals. Have a solid cover letter tailored to your needs. Also, in addition to internships, always ask for a reference letter or a letter of recommendation.
Hope this helps! It's a little here and there, but trust me—this is solid advice I wish someone had given me in my early days.
Maintain high grades—this is especially important for transferring to a competitive 4-year school and for being considered for internships. Also, you've figured out quite early that you need to work on your resume and gain some experience, which is great.
I personally would advise you to look at some local businesses where you can apply for internships. It doesn't need to be anything too time-consuming because of your school. Nonprofit organizations always need some help and are more than happy to welcome volunteers. It will give you great insight into the core of the business, and it will show your future employers that you already have some experience.
Connect with professors, mentors, and professionals on LinkedIn. It's always good to have contacts in your field—whatever it is—and to maintain those relationships.
Practice interviewing and be ready to talk about your skills, projects, and goals. Have a solid cover letter tailored to your needs. Also, in addition to internships, always ask for a reference letter or a letter of recommendation.
Hope this helps! It's a little here and there, but trust me—this is solid advice I wish someone had given me in my early days.
Edmond Momartin ☁️
Public Cloud Security & Compliance AT&T | MBA InfoSec | OWASP-LA Board
85
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Edmond’s Answer
Judging by your post's tags, you seem to be interested in computer science and cybersecurity. What I'd recommend is to attend the monthly meetings offered by related non-profits. These are OWASP (owasp.org), ISSA (issa.org), ISC2 (isc2.org), CSA (cloudsecurityalliance.org), etc. Check their websites for a listing of local chapters.
Some organize annual conferences (snowfroc.com), that include free resume workshops. I'm not sure where in Colorado, but I can see three OWASP local chapters. Attend their monthly meetings, network and ask for guidance, not just on resume, but how to better prepare yourself for internships/jobs.
Some organize annual conferences (snowfroc.com), that include free resume workshops. I'm not sure where in Colorado, but I can see three OWASP local chapters. Attend their monthly meetings, network and ask for guidance, not just on resume, but how to better prepare yourself for internships/jobs.