Before you apply, you need to find relevant roles that match your interests. You can always come back to this step to look for new opportunities.
As you go through this guide, open the Jobs tab of your job search progress tracker spreadsheet. (Don't have a progress tracker? Apply to Scarlet Data Studio's internship and we will send you one!)
We recommend following the LAMP method, from the book "The 2-Hour Job Search" by Steve Dalton. You can ask Career Services for a copy of the book or refer to these summary slides by Simardeep Kochar. LAMP stands for: List, Alumni, Motivation, and Postings. First, you create a list of organizations, then you prioritize your list based on alumni, motivation, and postings.
This step starts on slide 5.
Create a list of 40 organizations. Add one row to your tracker for each organization you find. Fill your list with:
In this step, you do not need to do any research about the organizations, just list them.
Here are some job boards you can use to create your list of organizations. At this stage, focus on the organization, not the role.
This step starts on slide 13.
Assign a rating to each organization based on your interest in working there. Add a link to the organization in your spreadsheet.
Find the organization's careers page, if any. If they have job postings, pick the one that you think is the best fit for you and assign a rating. Add a link to the job posting in your spreadsheet.
Refer to our guide about software engineering to learn about common job titles of software engineering roles.
Do you know an alum, friend, or someone else who works there or can introduce you to someone who works there? If so, write down their name in the "Supporter" column.
If an alum works there but you do not know them, you can write down their name or just write "Alumni" in the cell.
It is okay if you do not know any supporters. Check out our guide on how to grow your network so that you can meet people who want to support you!
Sort your list and check out the organizations you rated as 1 for interest or 3-5 for fit to learn more about them. You can add more organizations to your list as you find out more.
Now you have a list of relevant roles! Once your resume is ready, you can start applying.
Supporters and Referrals: If you know a supporter, you should wait to apply to the role. Ask if you can chat with them about the organization (or if they can introduce you to someone). If the supporter is an employee, they may be able to refer you to the role, which gives you a better chance of getting invited to an interview. Read more on this topic in our networking guide.
Qualifications: Any role you rated 3-5 for fit is a role you could apply to. It is good to apply to roles where you meet more of the requirements, but sometimes a role where you only meet one requirement could still be a good fit! Use your best judgement based on the role description or ask for advice.
Roles For Students: If a role is specifically for students of your level, you should apply even if you only meet one requirement. Some internship postings will say whether the internship is for undergraduates or graduate students, and what years (first-years, second years, etc.) are eligible. For full-time job seekers, some postings will indicate that they are for new or recent graduates.
Apply to One Role per Employer: An employer may have multiple roles that you are interested in, but you should pick just one to apply to. Some companies automatically filter out candidates who apply to multiple jobs at their company thinking it is spam. Pick the role you like best. If you move forward in their application process, a recruiter or hiring manager can help you switch to a different job in case that would be a better fit for you.
Once you are ready, send out all your applications. You do not need to spread them out or wait, the sooner you apply, the better.
In each row, keep track of the status and the date that you reached that status. Here are the options for status:
Reminders: Many organizations will not inform you of your application status. If no timeline is provided, as a rule of thumb, wait two weeks before asking for an update. At that point, search for an appropriate contact (usually a recruiter) and email them to inquire about the status of your application. They may have not seen your application yet, or you might hear that you are no longer being considered.