Summer Jobs
"After a fairly exhaustive search and application process in my sophomore year for summer jobs and fellowships, I picked the Bulldogs in the Bluegrass, one of the Bulldogs programs at Career Services. The program does a great job of finding truly meaningful work for its participants. I work for an organization that does job development and job training for adults with mental retardation, and it is obvious every day the impact I am able to make on the lives of my clients. It's a terrific feeling I don't think I would have been able to achieve had I chosen to work anywhere else."
"Upperclassmen are oftentimes the best resource for finding cool jobs and internships. I learned about my summer job at the Department of Labor from a senior who had worked there the previous two summers. Don't be shy about asking others for advice; they love talking about their previous jobs, and you'll probably learn about an opportunity that you never even knew existed."
If you have been thinking about what you will do over next summer or after graduation, Undergraduate Career Services (UCS) can help you learn about possible options. Counselors are available to meet with you individually by appointment. You are encouraged to consult a counselor, whether you are just beginning your job search or are close to making a decision. To schedule an appointment, either drop by the UCS reception area at 55 Whitney Avenue, third floor, or call 432-0800. UCS has an extensive resource library where you can get information about summer employment and internships, graduate and professional schools, and permanent employment opportunities.
The UCS Web site offers excellent information on all career-related topics, including details about expanded domestic and international internship options and summer internships. It includes both a year-by-year guide for students and a comprehensive calendar of UCS events. UCS also published a brochure especially for sophomores, whose contents appear below.
In addition to getting information from UCS, you can consult the Association of Yale Alumni (AYA) database, which includes listings from more than 10,000 alumni who have agreed to talk to students about career choices. The database is searchable by major at Yale, type of work, and other criteria.
Sophomore Guide to UCS
UCS Resources
- Access to internship postings in our eRecruiting database
- UCS coordinated internship programs
- Bulldogs across America internship programs
- Yale-in-Hollywood
- On-campus interview program
- Pre-med, pre-law, and graduate school advising
- Study abroad
Summer internship preparation timeline
Fall term
- Meet with a career counselor
- Set goals for your summer experience. Where do you want to be? What do you want to be doing?
- Look into options and begin networking
- Attend workshops and panel presentations
- Update/develop your résumé
- Review Bulldogs programs and UCS online resources
- Attend Summer Options Mini-Fair, International Opportunities Fair and Career Fair
- Explore funding options, fellowships and grants
- Research work authorization requirements (if applicable)
Winter break
- Continue researching options and networking
- Polish your résumé and prepare application materials
- Begin applying for opportunities. Note: Application deadlines may be as early as January, with a few even earlier
- Explore housing and funding options
Spring term
- Apply for internships that you have identified as good opportunities
- Continue to research internship opportunities; strengthen connections you have made
- Attend workshops and panels
- Apply for funding (if applicable)
- Apply for work authorizations (for internships abroad)
- Prepare for interviews
- Research housing options
- Make an appointment or stop in for a brief consultation with a career counselor
