By: Gracie Covarrubias, DePaul University organizational and multicultural communication major ’18 and Career Center communications assistant

Summertime is arguably the best time of the year—longer days, plenty of free time, exciting opportunities for growth; the list of ways to fill your summer is endless. One item that never seems to escape our summer to-do lists, however, is landing that perfect job. Let’s face it, with the stress, spreadsheets and never-ending interviews, sometimes the summer job search can feel like a full-time job itself. But who says the job search can’t be fun? Check out these four tips that’ll help keep you sane during your summer job search.

Network, network, network

Check out Meetup to find fun networking events near you, specific to your industry and interests. No matter where you’re spending the summer, it’s important to dedicate some of your time to meeting people and making quality connections—remember, people hire people!

Informational interviews

Informational interviews are an exceptional way to get your foot in the door with a company you want to work for. Check out DePaul’s Alumni Sharing Knowledge network to learn more about connecting with alumni, or ASK mentors, that share similar career aspirations or have connections to companies you’re looking to seek employment with. ASK mentors can provide informational interviews, which can give you a better sense of the work they do and the company or field they work in. If you aren’t finding a connection through ASK, head on over to LinkedIn and search through DePaul alumni in your intended field.

Leverage the Career Center

Whether you’re at DePaul for another year (or two…or three) or a recent grad, the Career Center can be a key player in helping you during your summer job or internship search. Come in and chat with a peer career advisor to get your resume reviewed or schedule a meeting with your career advisor to talk strategies for the job search. Recent graduates, don’t forget, you have access to Career Center resources for one year after graduation. The Career Center is open throughout the summer from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is bustling with people excited to help you land that dream job!

Make this summer the summer that you land that job you’ve been dreaming of. Don’t forget, you’ve got a network of Blue Demons excited to support you in your journey beyond DePaul.

Connect with professors

It sounds simple enough, but we often forget that professors, especially at DePaul, aren’t solely educators—they are skilled professionals who spent years establishing themselves in their respective industries. Your favorite professor has a wide breadth of knowledge on your field and a network of professionals they are more than willing to connect you with. Summer is a great time to reconnect and touch base with professors who have made an impact on you in your collegiate career. Use this time to not only solidify these connections, but to also catch up with them and see if they have any colleagues that would be willing to help you with the job hunt.