Co-op students get helpful feedback from professionals on their work progress and areas they need to improve on.

Clarkson University » Co-Op

Using Your Own Resources

The Career Center will help you in securing a co-op position, but the more initiative you take in your own search, the more likely you will find a co-op job. Follow these guidelines to help you get started:

Step 1: The first thing you will need to do is write a resume and cover letter. Use the hard-copy resources in the Career Center as a guide for your work or attend the Resume/Cover Letter workshop. After you have written a draft resume and cover letter, have someone in the office look it over.

Step 2: Your next step is to identify prospective co-op companies. Be careful not to rely exclusively on an electronic search but instead use hardcopy resources too. Some of the resources you might check out are: eRecruiting, the Career Guide, the Career Planning Guide, MonsterTrak, the business card catalogue and individual company homepages. Instead of limiting yourself to looking for co-op want ads and opportunities, think about sending out your credentials to any company that interests you.

Step 3: Send out your resume, cover letter and most importantly, follow-up. Try to find out if anyone at the company has read your resume and ask about the status of the job vacancy. You can follow-up, by writing another letter, sending an e-mail, or making a phone call to the company. Remember that your goal is to find out the status of your letter and to again express your interest in working for the company.

Step 4: If you are fortunate enough to be invited for an on-site interview, before you go stop in the Co-op office or Career Center to have a mock interview. Practice interviews are especially helpful to students who have never had a formal interview.

Using the University's Resources

To participate in the University's on-campus recruiting program and interview for a co-op position on-campus, follow these steps:

Step 1: Sign up to obtain a software account through the Career Center.

Step 2: Learn how to get the most out of your account by stopping in the Career Center. For more detailed information on how to recruit on campus visit the Co-op Student Handbook section of this page.

Step 3: Before you interview, plan on attending the Co-op Interview workshop and/or sign up to do a practice interview. Doing a mock interview will definitely help you improve your interviewing skills!

Keep in mind that you are always welcome to approach visiting company representatives to "pitch" yourself in hopes of getting an interview. Generally, students who show initiative and demonstrate their assertiveness to market themselves impress corporate representatives. Show your enthusiasm and interest and you may get invited to interview on the spot!