Gaining experience to build your resume can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t know where to begin. Summer break provides the perfect opportunity to grow your skillset and make yourself stand out against your peers! To help get you started, I compiled a list of five things you can do to get ahead in your future career!
1. Find an Internship
The first, and probably most obvious, way to gain more experience over summer break is to secure an internship. Within public relations, there are a variety of avenues that you can take which makes finding an internship pretty easy! While it may seem too late for this summer, companies are always looking for students to help out. If you can’t find a summer internship, many companies have already started their search for fall interns! By becoming a member of Temple PRSSA, you can also gain access to PRSSA National’s Internship Center!
2. Take Summer Courses
Summer courses are another great way to increase your knowledge in the field. Temple offers two summer sessions that give you the opportunity to work towards your degree and complete classes for your major (or minor). Temple also offers courses through the Office of Non-Credit and Continuing Education where you can take a deep dive into a specific topic and receive a certificate after completion. Temple offers a handful of certifications including the Social Media for Business Certificate, the Digital Photography Certificate, and the Digital Design Certificate. Feel free to check out their website to see what else might interest you!
3. Complete Industry Certifications
During my time at Temple, I’ve had the opportunity to complete three industry certifications. These certifications are usually free, making them extremely accessible for everyone! There are a variety of organizations that offer industry certifications but two good places to start are Google Analytics and HubSpot Academy!
4. Attend Webinars
Throughout the summer, PRSSA National and PPRA host a variety of webinars that students can attend to network and gain industry knowledge to further their careers. In addition to these two organizations, many local PRSSA chapters host their own conferences or Zoom conversations that you can attend to learn more about the topics being discussed. Follow @prssanational and @ppra_proud to find out when their next webinars are!
5. Practice Your Creative Skills
The last, and most valuable thing you can do to set yourself apart is to practice your creative skills. Something I’ve been doing this summer is playing around with the programs in the Adobe Creative Suite. I’ve already learned so much on my own that I actually decided to take a digital design tools course next semester! If you’re already familiar with Adobe, Canva is another great option or you can try getting into photography!
While summer is meant for relaxing, it also provides amazing opportunities to get a step ahead. Don’t overwhelm yourself or put too much on your plate, but squeezing in different resume-building activities can really help make you stand out as you begin to advance in your academic and professional career.
This blog post was written by Jacquelyn Kelly, Director of Social Media
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