Dear Arts and Sciences students:
During this time of unprecedented social and economic change, your Rutgers Arts and Sciences degree will help you move forward with resilience. SAS majors build career and life relevant skills that help you to adapt to many opportunities, including new types of work. Remember, you are getting a degree from one of the world's top research universities. There are hundreds of thousands of living alumni who want to help and guide you. You can make it through this and help bring about the change you want to see in the world. Stay strong! These resources can help you plan:
Who is hiring now?
Show future employers how you used your arts and sciences skills, from communication to analysis, to help in the pandemic response. Click Here to learn how to apply to become a contact tracer in NJ! (average pay @ $25 per hour) or start your application HERE. "Contact tracers should be sensitive and able to build trust with the people they interview, said Dr. Christina Tan, state epidemiologist. "
Where to look for work during COVID-19 (Cultivatedculture.com, May 2020)
"Lifeboat" Jobs that offer skills to advance to higher salary positions: Lifeboat Jobs (Burning Glass, May 2020)
Companies hiring in NJ: Here are 41 Companies Hiring Right Now in N.J. and the Jobs They're Offering (nj.com, 2020)
A tool for people who LIKE to play with data. On-line job postings growing and shrinking during COVID: EMSI's dashboard tool
Find jobs on Rutgers Handshake or search for local jobs here: State of New Jersey COVID-19 Jobs and Hiring Portal
Unemployed and need help in NJ?
COIVD-19 Employement and Unemployment Resources for NJ Jobseekers (Compiled by the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University)
Free resume optimizer tool from EMSI (Matches your skills to skills in job ads. Can you say it differently to create a better match?)
What should you focus on now?
Finding Employment During the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Glimmer of Hope for College Students (Philadelphia Inquirer, 2020)
The Science of Helping Out (NYT, 2020)
5 Ways to Learn New Career Skills During the COVID-19 Crisis (FastCompany, 2020)
- Advice from Rutgers Recruiters during COVID (collected April 17, 2020):
Employers will be forgiving. Lagging grades, p/NC, a lack of internships, and other setbacks will be viewed less harshly.
There appear to be fewer internship cancellations that past recessions. Employers are more likely to transform internships now, either shortening them for similar pay, and/or going virtual.
Major in what interests you and what you are good at, but take classes outside your comfort zone. Build skills that are well rounded.
GPA is not everything. Skills and your ability to communicate how yours FIT with employers' needs is most important.
Reach out to alumni. They want more RU grads to work with them. They want to help you. Ask for advice, not a job. How did you choose your major or decide to work for X are good openers. Use LinkedIn or Rutgers Student Alumni Career Connect.
Work on telling your unique skills story for resumes, cover letters, networking, and interviews. Practice talking about how your classes and other experiences are building skills the employer cares about (problem-solving, communication, analytical thinking). Consider taking jobs that tell a unique career story - such as how you helped as a contact tracer or food bank employee during the pandemic.
Over the summer, take webinars, LinkedIn Learning (free to RU students) and other free options to upgrade skills that are weak. Common areas where employers see many students need more work:
- Writing skills. Take advanced writing courses. Edit all of your written classwork well. Practice writing your texts with full punctuation and proper grammar/spelling to get in the habit of professional writing.
- Data analysis and Excel skills. Data is everywhere and employers expect you to analyze it well. Every industry uses Excel. You may have learned the fundamentals of data analysis in college, but you probably used different tools. Take time to teach yourself how to do formulas, macros, pivot table, and build meaningful charts and tables.
- Foreign Language skills. Most major corporations have a global footprint. Understanding more about cultures and languages can help add value to your skill set for many types of jobs.
- Virtual teamwork skills. Communication and the ability to get a project done with a team has always been important, but practice getting work done with remote teams. From class projects to personal projects, try using tools like Slack, GoogleDocs and video chat.
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Useful Articles with Job Sites, Tips, and Resources to Find Remote Work:
- "6 Steps How To Get a Remote Job This Weekend in 2020 (Ultimate Guide)" by Ryan Robinson
- "78 Best Freelance Jobs Websites to Get Remote Freelance Work (Fast) in 2020" by Ryan Robinson
- Re-tooling your Job Search during COVID-19 (Scott Borden, LPC May, 2020)
- Parker Dewey: Search micro-internships, 5-40/hour paid projects that can be done remotely. International students must talk to OISS.
- Idealist.org: Search remote positions by using the search option for Remote or On-site.
- Upwork and Fiverr: Two freelance portals students can join to promote their skills for potential monetization.
- Covintern: "Get connected with remote internships at top startups and companies."
- Internfromhome.com: Virtual internships and jobs.
- Notion.so: Remote Job Listings for Students
- InsideSherpa: Virtual Work Experience Programs are simulated projects from real companies for students see what it is like to work as a junior-level employee and learn/practice skills
Need more help?
Consider taking the Career Explorations in Arts and Sciences course.
The Office of Career Exploration and Success offers comprehensive career development assistance all year round! Get started today by visiting the special COVID resources page. New features include:
- Virtual Ask Us Anything Conversations - A group of career advisors and employer relations team members discuss pressing topics based on student-submitted career questions
- COVID-19 Job Search Booster Virtual Workshops - How to navigate and apply for opportunities in the new job market
- Virtual Document (CV, Resume, and Cover Letters) Review - Advisors review submitted documents and provide feedback in writing
We also offer virtual 1-on-1 career advising appointments, virtual drop-in resume reviews on Wednesdays, and joint programming with employers. And of course, we provide access to a variety of virtual tools, including our Student-Alumni Career Connect platform, Rutgers Handshake, and our virtual mock interviewing program called InterviewStream.
