Oct 01, 2021

Shooting Your Shot: What You Need to Know About Jobs and Internships as a Student

If you’re reading this, you’re already ahead of every other applicant. Almost everyone at Rentalbee used to be students, too, taking our first steps outside of our comfortable coliving spaces to a fast-paced world of for-hire signs and applicant interviews. From our go-to internship groups to easy-to-use job sites, we’ve got you covered!

1. Prepare your CV and other materials for your application.

For undergraduate students who may be nervous about applying without work experience, don’t be! Your CV doesn’t have to be any particular length, as long as they support whatever you’re bringing to the table with your application. Additionally, employers value school activities like orgs, as well as your grades, as long as they contribute to your application. You wouldn’t, for example, gain much from adding your choir org membership to your application for an IT internship!

For CV templates, try: Microsoft Word

2. Facebook has (most likely) everything you need to get started.

No surprises here. Companies will usually advertise open positions on either their own Facebook page or independent Facebook groups. College students can also look out for internship and/or job groups affiliated with their school. In the case of invitation-only groups, ask your seniors for invites – after all, they may even offer you a job on the spot for your willingness!

Additionally, Facebook is a great way to let everyone – from your professors who may need teaching assistants, to your former roomies who may need employees for their startup – know, through a single push of a button, that you’re looking for a job! Update those statuses, roomie!

For internships, try: ‘Internship Philippines’, ‘Startup Philippines: Internships’, and ‘Internships.ph (Philippines)’

3. Build a client base from scratch.

Spoiler: it’s not as hard as it sounds. In fact, you already have tons: your school and your coliving space (which makes your student coliving experience particularly useful). You can even let the adults in your life, like your parents and/or your beekeeper know. The list goes on!

The only thing left for you to do is to let them know! If you’re trying to sell a service – from graphic design to tutoring – it may take time for commissions to roll around, but with the power of word of mouth from the different communities you’re part of, it probably won’t take long until you’re fully booked!

For services, try: UpWork and Fiverr

As obvious as it sounds, CVs are actually difficult to write! Not only do you have to list down everything significant to the position you’re applying for, but you also have to make them sound particularly groundbreaking. Other than your CV, you also have to prepare your cover letters, which is another thing that takes some getting used to, as well as a comprehensive portfolio, if applicable.

At the end of the day, you shouldn’t pressure yourself into something you only feel like you should be doing. Without passion, work becomes tedious – which may not be the best combination with a pandemic considering the toll this has on our mental health. Take time to enjoy school while it lasts, roomie, because there may come a day when you find yourself missing your relaxed school and coliving life!