How To Get An Internship
By Emily Anderson
Internships are a great way to expand your knowledge, and learn more about the industry. Often the idea of obtaining one seems scary and overwhelming, but there are many resources and tips available to help out with the process. Here are a few of them:
- Apply Everywhere: The more jobs you apply to, the more opportunities will come your way. Don’t be too selective when choosing where you apply. Most successful applicants send out dozens to hundreds of applications.
- Use Third-Party Websites: Sites like Indeed and LinkedIn are very helpful in filtering through opportunities. Sign up to receive email notifications when jobs are posted with keywords relevant to you. Keep your keywords broad; some examples are: civil engineering co-op, engineering internships, civil engineering intern.
- Use McGill’s Resources: MESC and ECC have a variety of workshops to help you succeed in your professional career. They have peer editing for cover letters and resumes, mock interviews, as well as LinkedIn and Networking workshops.
- Attend Networking Events: Networking is a great way to develop legitimate connections with professionals in the industry. It’s a great way to get referrals and learn about what you are going into. CSCE hosts many networking events such as Wine and Cheese, and Speed Networking.
- Present Yourself Well: Edit your resume to have specific, relevant information to the job you are applying for.Try to quantify what you did, and make it results based. Develop guidelines for you cover letter based on the type of job you are applying for. For example: a civil job would require a very different cover letter than a software job, but two civil jobs could pass with the same cover letter. Dress to impress at your interview!
- Attend Techfair: This is a great opportunity to learn about all the different companies looking to hire students, and is great networking practice.
- Update Your LinkedIn Profile: Make sure the relevant and recent information is at the top and easy to filter through. Take a professional headshot - often there will be opportunities to get one for free on campus.
- Use MyFuture: This is a tool provided by McGill to facilitate your job search. You can upload your resume and cover letter to the platform to easily apply to a multitude of jobs. It’s also helpful to know that the companies advertising positions on MyFuture are interested in McGill students. The website filters jobs based on those that are most relevant to you, and that you are qualified for (based on schooling), so that you can streamline your application to more higher quality, more relevant opportunities. The website also lets you see the resources, and events that MESC and ECC provide and when.
How To Get INVOLVED
By Emily Anderson
Sub-Committee
There is a sub-committee for civil students who are looking to get involved, but cannot commit a large portion of their time, or are unsure about what they are getting into. The sub-comm helps our VP Internal and our VP Events organize events like banquet, apartment crawls, and Blues Pub. It is a great way to get involved in CEUS, and is a great experience to have if you are interested in running for council in the following years. If you’re interested in finding out more or joining sub-comm, you can email the VP Internal or the VP Events at: ceus.vpinternal@mcgilleus.ca or ceus.vpevents@mcgilleus.ca
Design Teams
For people who prefer a little more hands on experience, there are many civil-oriented design teams. These are McGill Engineers in Action, Concrete Canoe and McGill Bridge Building. For more information on these, check out the design teams sub-section.
Elections
Incoming U0 civil students can apply to be the U0 Civil Representative who sits on both CEUS and the Engineering Junior Council. The application process for this position takes place in mid-September. Additionally, U1 civil students can apply for the positions of U1 Civil Representative and Vice President Administration on CEUS. These application processes also take place in September. The selection of the U0 Rep and VP Admin is through an interview, whereas the U1 Civil Rep is done by an in-class election. If you are interested in any of these positions or have any questions please email the CEUS President or VP Internal at ceus.president@mcgilleus.ca or ceus.vpinternal@mcgilleus.ca