Hi hi!
It is a scary thing being a student and having the pressure of finding jobs and opportunities, but rest assured because today we are going to talk about it!
One amazing thing about USC is that no one is a gatekeeper here. A lot of the opportunities I have learned about have been from other students either in the form of my classes or my friend groups. Everyone is super friendly and loves to share their knowledge with others! I have sought a lot of advice and recommendations from the upperclassmen in my major, and through this, I have learned about different opportunities at USC.
Outside of hearing things on a word of mouth basis, USC Viterbi sends out weekly newsletters, where there are a multitude of opportunities listed at the bottom of the email. There are Viterbi specific events with companies and clubs, where extracurriculars will bring out companies to complete professional talks with students. There are also resume and networking developments where clubs will host experts in their fields to guide resume finetuning and provide their experiences in applying for jobs, internships, and professional committees such as application based clubs at USC or within Viterbi.
If you actually take a look, you will be overwhelmed not by a lack of opportunities to get involved but by how many there are. There are both the general USC involvement fair and also the Viterbi specific ones for recruiters that will line up with their company’s information. These companies will also literally come to campus and perform “Trojan Talks” to give speeches about their values and what they might look for in an applicant in an internship setting. There are multiple of these talks scheduled on a daily basis, and you will always find one to attend!
Outside of internships and the professional workplace, there are so many on campus jobs as well. There is a work-study fair where students who qualify for the work-study program can look for jobs and involvements on campus. For those that are not familiar with work-study programs, it is a way to earn some money on campus without looking for a traditional part time job. These opportunities are usually flexible, as the staff understands that students have commitments to their classes, homework, and extracurricular activities.
As a personal example, on campus, I am currently a Freshman Academy Coach for ENGR 102: Engineering Freshman Academy course. This is a requirement for some Viterbi majors, and it is meant to be an introductory course to get better acclimated with the engineering lifestyle. I coach students in this class, and I host events for them to ask questions regarding being a USC student. This is a campus job, and I am a mentor of sorts for these students.
This is one of many ways to be involved in a professional experience on campus. As I have mentioned above, these opportunities range from anything as informal as a “Trojan Talk” to something as formal as an internship. Regardless of what it is, if you can name it, USC has some kind of program to make it there!!
Links:
1. https://careers.usc.edu/resources/virtual-trojan-talks/
2.https://viterbicareers.usc.edu/careerexpo/
