Looking for non-traditional ways to build your resume? We’ve got five things you can do right now. Get started today!
1. Set Up a Virtual Coffee Chat
Is there a company you’d love to learn more about? Someone’s brain you’ve always wanted to pick?
With many companies working from home right now, people may have a little more time than usual to meet virtually.
Send a message to a person you’d like to connect with on LinkedIn, and invite them to a virtual coffee chat. Keep it short and sweet, and introduce yourself with a clear goal in mind: Maybe you want to learn about their career trajectory; maybe you’re interested in working for them on a freelance basis.
Our best advice? Before you reach out, ensure your LinkedIn profile is ready for success. Read our advice on Mastering LinkedIn here!
2. Leverage Free Resources
Build your resume virtually with free webinars, courses, trainings, and more.
- Coursera: Join Coursera for free! Start streaming on-demand video lectures today from top instructors in subjects like business, computer science, data science, language learning, and more.
- Elastic: Elastic is supporting students with opportunities to connect and learn in a virtual environment. Check out the Elastic Training page featuring free access to on-demand trainings!
- Campus Philly Job Board: Find your dream gig with our brand-new Job Board. Search through open roles, filter by location and function, check out this week’s Top 5 gigs, and more!
Plus, you can swing by our Instagram for Career Thursdays each week, where we feature job tips from employers, career advice, and more.
3. Focus On Your Passion
Always wanted to teach yourself a new skill or grow your personal brand—but just never had the time?
Start now. Whether you’re growing your photography portfolio (tag us in photos for a chance to be featured on our page!) or you’re looking to start your own podcast, now is a great time to hone your skills and turn your passion project into a side hustle.
Looking to take things to the next level? Join REC Philly for resources for every creator: designers, models, illustrators, poets, painters, and everyone in between. Check them out here.
4. Volunteer Your Time
Volunteer experience not only helps you stand out from other applicants, but it’s also a great way to grow your resume this summer—particularly when some opportunities are virtual!
- DoSomething is the largest not-for-profit exclusively for young people and social change. They’ve compiled a list of 9 Places to Volunteer and Make a Real Impact—all you need to make a difference is an internet connection.
- Volunteer Match also has an ongoing list of virtual volunteer opportunities in the Philadelphia region. Check them out and volunteer your time today!
- Philabundance volunteers help pack and sort donated food and prepare it for distribution to our neighbors in need. Anyone who is not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, who is not part of the at-risk demographic, and does not come into frequent contact with seniors, can volunteer. Choose a volunteer shift here!
5. Learn All About the Security Plus Certification
At a Campus Philly networking event last year, Deb Kliman, Vice President of HR at Sabre Systems, Inc., met a student from Chestnut Hill College with a unique certification on his resume, the Security Plus Certification. This certification validates the baseline skills needed to perform core security functions and pursue an IT security career.
Now more than ever, and in such an uncertain job market, this certification could be the differentiating factor that sets students apart in their job search! Hear from one student who participated in the certification program in this recent Campus Philly blog post.
What’s next? Follow us on Instagram for event updates and career advice, and check out our Ultimate Career Guide covering all the best ways to grow professionally while enjoying Philadelphia this semester!
