It goes without saying that the majority of UC Berkeley students are career-oriented. It seems like every Berkeley student you meet has an extensive résumé of internships, research positions, work experience, volunteer hours, and leadership roles. While every Cal student is impressive in their own way, and there’s no right or wrong answer to how your résumé should look, I would argue that it certainly does help your post-degree career prospects to be involved in more activities. And career goals aside, participation in more activities may also enrich your overall college experience by allowing you to learn new things and meet new people. As a graduating senior in my last semester at Cal, I’d like to share some of my tips and tricks on how I secured some of my internships and other opportunities during my college career.
Internships
Tip #1: Read your emails and be aware of opportunities that pop up around you.
My very first college internship actually took place in my hometown of Fresno, California. I attended Fresno City College before I transferred to UC Berkeley, and I was a part of FCC’s Law Pathways program. The program counselor sent out an email about a six-month immigration law fellowship in the area, and I immediately applied. The fellowship included a stipend, an online training and certification course, and an in-person internship experience in the immigration law department of a local nonprofit agency. It was a highly rewarding experience that I wouldn't have known about if it wasn’t for my Law Pathways counselor.
And when I came to Cal, I continued my habit of checking my emails. One of my major advisors constantly forwards emails to her students about upcoming internship, research, and scholarship opportunities on and off campus. Being on that mailing list and actually reading the messages allows me to browse a wide range of opportunities that I never would have found on my own.
Tip #2: Apply to any open position that is even remotely interesting to you.
When I was looking for an internship for the summer between my junior and senior year, I applied to many different positions. Some of them perfectly aligned with my interests, majors, or career aspirations, but others were only slightly interesting to me. I decided to cast a wide net to increase my chances of getting something because I was desperate to secure an internship, and I knew that I’d learn something from whatever position I landed. I eventually got a role at an organization that provided enrichment and tutoring to high schoolers, something I never even thought I would enjoy. But it ended up being a great learning experience for me, and I was grateful I applied. You never know what you’ll end up liking or what you’ll learn.
Tip #3: Try cold emailing and using your connections.
I landed another summer internship by cold emailing an organization that had actually sent a promotional email my way. It was an Asian American political interest group that had sent me an ad, and I replied to the ad with an expression of my interest in interning with them. I didn’t have any prior experience with political action committees, so I was drawn to this organization and decided to just send a cold email and see what happens. I never expected it to work, but lo and behold, I landed a virtual internship with them.
I also cold emailed a handful of alumni from my co-ed professional fraternity. It’s a fraternity specifically for students with an interest in international relations, so I figured I could make use of our alumni network to secure an internship in that field. Though my attempts yielded mixed results (no internships, but I did receive good career advice from one of the alums), it never hurts to reach out to people in your network.
Work Positions
Tip #2 again.
When I was looking for a new job after transferring to UC Berkeley, I practically lived on Handshake, LinkedIn, and other job application sites. Desperate for work, I applied to anything and everything. I ended up getting less than ten call-backs after applying to over 40 positions, proving that the job scene is competitive but that my strategy worked.
Tip #4: Look for jobs everywhere, not just on job searching websites.
While LinkedIn, Indeed, and Handshake are all wonderful places to look for employment, job searching sites are not the only places you could look. The plethora of career fairs on campus, the Career Engagement Center, and even random bulletin boards are all good places to browse for jobs. I actually found out about my current job from a recruiter passing out flyers on Sproul Plaza. I’ve also seen “Help Wanted” notices posted in the dining halls and residence halls. And it never hurts to go into a building on campus (or off campus) and ask if they are hiring.
Leadership Roles
Tip #5: Join clubs and other organizations, and then work your way up.
My international relations fraternity has provided me with numerous opportunities to serve in leadership positions. Immediately after my pledge semester, I was eligible to run for a leadership role, and I ended up serving as the Member Advocacy Chair and then later the Social Chair. It was a small enough organization that there were plenty of open positions to run for, and I sometimes even found myself running unopposed.
I joined the staff of the Berkeley Handprint, our student-run anthropology journal. Though I started off as just a writer for the journal, I eventually became more active on the team and served as the Social Media Director and the Outreach Assistant. Just like my international relations frat, the Handprint was small enough that there were plenty of positions available and plenty of ways for me to play a role. You just have to find your niche organizations on campus and take advantage of opportunities in those organizations.
Volunteer Hours
Tip #6: Join existing organizations.
There are countless volunteer clubs on campus that make it easier for students to engage in meaningful community service. I joined UC Berkeley’s chapters of the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity because I didn’t want to have to search for volunteer opportunities on my own. It was easy to just join clubs where volunteer events were already organized, and I could just show up and help out.
Tip #7: Follow your passions.
If there are social causes that you are passionate about, find ways to promote those causes. That could mean volunteering for existing organizations, or it could mean starting your own nonprofit organization. If you are passionate about childhood cancer, for example, you could start your own nonprofit that raises money for childhood cancer research. You could also look for hospitals that are accepting volunteers to come read books to sick children. Volunteering will be the most rewarding if you are doing it for a cause that matters to you, so look for opportunities in the areas you care about.
Research Opportunities
Tips #1, 2, 3, and 4.
Your best bet is using all of your resources in order to secure a research position. Browse all of the on-campus research programs, like URAP and SURF, but also check with off-campus labs and research centers. Check the Berkeley Discovery database and the Student Opportunity Center for currently open and upcoming research projects. Also, check your emails, bulletin boards on campus, and promoters on Sproul Plaza in case there are notices for research opportunities that you didn’t already see. Keep your eyes peeled at all times, and be on the prowl for what you want. With how competitive undergraduate research can be, you should apply to as many positions as you can. Don’t be afraid to cold email or reach out to people you know (or don’t know). Talk to your professors and graduate student instructors (GSIs) to see if they need help with any research or know of someone who does. Poke around at Berkeley’s graduate schools to see if you could be a research assistant or shadow grad students doing research. If you are interested in law, for example, see if Berkeley Law has any research projects open to undergraduates.
Sometimes just asking around can be useful. I offhandedly mentioned my desire to do research to my roommate, and she informed me of a research opportunity that was being offered by another friend in our sorority house. This other friend is actually a lab manager on campus, and I was so excited to find out that her lab was looking for applicants. You never know what connections or positions your friends may have, so asking around is great for finding opportunities.
Final Words
Though your résumé does not determine your worth or talent, there is value in having a range of experiences. For instance, volunteering allows us to give back to the community, and interning helps us gain professional skills. We become better people when we try new things and learn new things. Hopefully this list helps you do just that.