At the start of my first year, I knew very little about career planning. As a sophomore, I continue to learn from my mistakes and work on my patience as I wait to hear back about summer internships. I’ve much left to learn, but luckily, I’ve still got another two years.

Read on below for some personal tips that have helped me along this journey.

1. Cover Letter- The missing ingredient in most cover letters, including very many of my own, is a lack of genuine passion and delight. When a potential employer reads your cover letter, they should feel just how ardently you want the position. Convince your reader that you’re not writing the cover letter because it’s required. Rather, you’re writing it because your enthusiasm knows no bounds– You want the whole world to know how great a writer/scientist/athlete you are!

2. Tailored Resumes- At the start of my first year at Scripps, I had one basic resume from my senior year of high school. The formatting was completely incorrect, and lacked a header as well as any description whatsoever. Since then, I have created almost 10 different versions of a resume, and gone in to CP&R for revisions countless times. Some categories include, but are not limited to: art, journalism, business, and leadership. As your career interests change over time, you will find yourself with increasingly different versions of your resume.

3. Editing Cover Letters and Resumes- CP&R provides friendly and knowledgeable advice and feedback, but it always helps to get a second opinion. Exchange cover letters and resumes with friends and/ or family members for review. Email them to each other in Word doc form so they can insert comments in the right margin. Remember to give back in turn by offering your help as well.

4. Prioritize Choices- Much like applying to colleges, you won’t be able to apply for every single internship and/or job opportunity out there. You’ll have to factor in time, money, transportation, skill level, and more. Be realistic and avoid options to which you won’t be able to accept if offered.

5. Give Yourself a Break- Working on resumes, cover letters, and other application materials can be both time-consuming and boring. Give yourself breaks in-between, and try not to take rejections too personally. It’s common not to hear back from companies, and sometimes, you’ll hear back when you’re least expecting it.

How do you handle your career aspirations? Have any tips to share with us? Comment below.