Although the world has transitioned to having jobs and internships virtually due to the pandemic, that does not mean students should stop preparing themselves for opportunities. Many students are searching for resources to secure internships and jobs that will allow them to virtually work from home.
With the help of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s Career and Professional Development Center, students can start preparing themselves for the professional world. Although many are looking for internships to be virtual students still must prepare for the job as if it was in person.
The Career and Professional Development Center is a center that is designed to provide professional development, resources, and opportunities for students. They distribute countless emails with information on different career opportunities and events that will take place this year that will still allow students to network.
Lakeshia Mobley-Edwards, FAMU Internship Coordinator at the C.C. Cunningham Career and Professional Development Center Division of Student Affairs lists different resources and events that will be provided by the center to help groom students for success.
“We have a lot of events this month that are specifically designed to sharpen their professional development skills, create resumes, and to prepare for our annual Fall Career and Internship Expo. With over 100 employers ready to meet and hire students if qualified,” said Mobley-Edwards.
The Career and Internship Expo is an event for students to network and build relationships with potential employers. The Expo will be held on Handshake for two days on September 23, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and September 24, 2020, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. This is the first year the expo will be conducted virtually.
The FAMU Career & Professional Development Center has made adjustments to help rattlers prepare for their job search and how to connect with employers virtually. The FAMU Career and Professional Development team will be available to help students before, during, and after the expo.
Other students at FAMU like Dy’Min J. Cannon and Jade Patterson, have already started virtual internships. They explain their experience of what it is like to have a virtual internship with a company and how different it is.
Dy’Min J. Cannon is a senior Broadcast Journalism student at FAMU interning at The Entertainment Industry College Outreach Program HBCU in LA.
“I really wasn’t engaged as I expected to be. Normally, this internship involves being hands-on and working on projects and red carpets such as movie premiers and the BET Awards. The zoom sessions were very informative, and we got to connect with many professionals in the entertainment industry,” said Cannon.
As much as Cannon wants to be involved, she understands that in these times with practicing social distancing and other guidelines she will not be allowed to do so.
As for Jade Patterson, a junior Public Relations student at FAMU says that her internship at Lmichellemedia allows her to work on weekly projects. These projects are still conducted virtually. Patterson’s internship also used a different form of communication to virtually interact with employers.
“We have one meeting a week through Google Meet. As for our weekly follow-ups to make sure everyone is ok and to check what we learned we use an app called Band,” said Patterson.
Keep an eye out for the emails with information being sent out to help you figure out your next internship or career path.