With recruiting season upon us, there are going to be a lot of opportunities available to students interested in the Arts, Media, and Communication fields. Knowing what to do to prepare and how to find and engage with these opportunities can help the process seem much more manageable, so here are some things to do to get started:
Get your application materials updated and ready to be shared – Almost every position or opportunity is going to require you to submit a résumé and likely a cover letter. If you know they’ll be required, why not get these things ready early? Utilize our Résumé & Cover Letter Guide and Résumé Sample Binder to help you get those materials to a point where you only need to adjust them slightly based on the specific needs of the opportunity rather than having to rush the updates once you see the position posted. Be sure to notice within the Résumé Sample Binder the differences between the résumé from one major to another. Recognize how a Fine Arts/Theatre résumé is formatted differently and shares different information than a résumé for a Digital Media & Design student. Sharing the relevant information that your industry is looking for is a crucial part of marketing yourself for a position.
Review and update your online presence – Do you have a LinkedIn profile? Have you added your most recent internships and/or work experiences to it? Do you have an online portfolio or website that highlights some of your work or performances? If you are going to apply for a position, one of the first things a person reviewing your application may do is search for these things online. Make sure that when they do this search, they find examples of how you want to be seen as a professional. You can make an appointment with a career coach to receive feedback in these areas.
Learn from those that have experienced it before – It can be intimidating going through a process you have never experienced before. So why not learn from those who have lived it? Use the Alumni Tool on UConn’s LinkedIn page to find people doing similar things to what you want to do and reach out to them to hear about their experiences. Do you want to know what it is like as a woman in the animation industry or how an international student can navigate the job search process? Connect with someone with that experience and ask what you want to know. You can also do this through the Husky Mentor Network in the Arts, Media, and Communication Career Community page, by watching previous School of Fine Arts Alumni Panels, or by just speaking with your professors or former classmates that have graduated.
Once you feel prepared by completing the above steps, you can begin to engage with opportunities of interest. Search for positions, complete the applications, and network with individuals from the companies or organizations you are interested in. And if at any point you are unsure of how to proceed or what to do next, come see us at the Center for Career Development for a coaching appointment. We are always happy to help!
