A job search sometimes feels like a juggling act, and keeping the balls in the air – including
job-search tasks, as well as the continuing demands of school/work and day-to-day living –
can oftentimes feel like a struggle. For neurodiverse individuals, the thought of embarking
on a job search can be overwhelming, as it adds complexity and stress to established routines.

Many parents with neurodiverse twenty-somethings have invested countless years in helping
plan and implement experiences that support their child’s development, but may feel at a loss
for how to best assist in a job search. These job-seekers not only need guidance through the
basic steps of job-searching, they also benefit from having someone who can anticipate which
factors in a job-search can be more challenging for neurodiverse individuals and to help
scaffold this process.
For this reason, Early Stage Careers’ team includes professional, experienced counselors that
can share in this responsibility – Janine Rowe and Eric Homburger – whose experience
includes supporting job seekers across a range of needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder,
ADHD, Dyslexia, depression and anxiety. Eric and Janine partner with clients to create a
personalized job search strategy that leverages their strengths and minimizes challenges.
So, what are strategies and steps our Neurodiversity Specialists pursue in order to help
job-seekers who have specific challenges, and what steps can neurodiverse individuals take to

successfully navigate the job-search process? We outline below the steps our coaches take to
help set neurodiverse job-seekers up for success in the job-search process.
Transitioning and The Parent Partnership
Many parents of neurodiverse young people have been actively involved throughout their
children’s lives in providing the support they need to be successful. However, as children
grow older and enter adulthood, it’s important for these dynamics to change. As Eric
Homburger notes, “Young job-seekers are working through a transition from student to
professional; while at the same time, their families are working through their own
transformation from hands-on advocates for the child to behind the scenes coaches.”
Of course, it’s important for a parent to be involved in the process even if a coach is engaged.
Parents have personal insights as to which environments could be a good match for their
child. And when a new job is secured, parents are pivotal to helping their young adult
children work through the transitional challenges, including how health support plans can
work with a new and evolving work schedule. As Janine Rowe puts it, “The role of families
is crucial, particularly in situations where the parents work to address related issues such as
those involving a work-related relocation; housing, transportation and arranging for therapy
with new professionals.”
Career Planning – Before the Search
Before the search begins, we typically consult at length with the client, their parents as well
as therapists and other professionals working with the client, to ensure we are fully
understanding the range of needs. In the words of Early Stage Careers co-founder Jill
Tipograph, who handles this sensitive outreach, “It is crucially important to understand the
strengths and challenges of the job seeker, how their needs manifest, what their behavioral
triggers are, and to get an objective professional’s view on how we can best tailor our
approach as career coaches.”
One struggle some neurodiverse job-seekers have is determining what industries or roles will
set them up to be successful. A Career Assessment can be a valuable tool that helps
students/grads plan for the initial job search and/or determine alternate career goals. Our
career coaches regularly help students identify right-fit career options by helping job seekers
examine multiple factors relating to successful career choice, including prospects for the
career of choice, job outlook, and work environment.
When determining what direction to pursue, Eric Homburger suggests that early careerists
consciously shift their mindset from, “You can’t do this or that” to “What can you do and
where do you want to be doing that type of work?”
Setting a Sourcing and Networking Strategy
Once target roles have been determined, a sourcing strategy is established in partnership with
our coaches. These coaches investigate companies that have a track record of recruiting
neurodiverse talent and organizations that support people with specific challenges. These may
include companies that have programs that specifically provide onboarding and training

tailored to neurodiversity factors, or companies that simply have large numbers of roles that
play to various talents and strengths. Additionally, our coaches are familiar with a wide
variety of valuable resources —they guide job-seekers to use those that will be most
beneficial, narrowing their scope to make best use of valuable time.
While the coach can help in the sourcing of opportunities, they will also work to assist the
young person in ramping up their networking. Most early job seekers are a bit resistant to
spending time on networking at first –Janine points out that she commonly hears, “I need a
job, not a network!” – and so coaches work to help clients see the value in building a
network, not only for this one search, but to establish support throughout the career journey.
Coaches spend considerable time helping neurodiverse job-seekers master tasks of
networking, creating communications, getting comfortable with outreach, and identifying
people who can uncover hidden opportunities.
Interviewing: Put Your Best Foot Forward
Interview preparation is always tailored to the individual, but when neurodiversity challenges
are present, the strategy to build these skills requires expertise. Training the interviewee to
see beyond the literal question and deliver an answer that addresses the underlying “question
behind the question” – offering context and detail that highlight one’s strengths and abilities
to master complex subjects – takes practice.
Coaches also address non-verbal behaviors, including managing eye contact and being
prepared for what to expect at each step of the interview. Our coaches work through and
discuss every aspect of an interview, including what to do upon arrival at the building, how to
deliver a strong handshake, and how to close the meeting with a demonstration of interest in
the role and organization. Lesley Mitler, co-founder of Early Stage Careers, points out that
anyone with executive functioning challenges “benefits from a detailed walk-through of what
to anticipate with a focus on how to be prepared, from clothing choices to the use of the cell
phone.”
We help clients be prepared for the tough parts of the process, including the common lack of
response following rounds of applications, and how to handle feedback when given, so that
future interviews have better outcomes.
Supporting Success on the Job
While getting a job is a major part of the career launch process, successfully onboarding to a
new organization is just as vital and oftentimes requires as much focus. Our coaches work
with the newly employed to understand the importance of getting to know colleagues,
greeting people on arrival and investing time in learning about them one on one. We help
these new employees prepare for the social aspects of the workplace that likely include
interactions outside the company walls, such as after-hours gatherings, or volunteer work.
Planning strategies for how and when to participate in events, versus how to respectfully
decline, can be discussed and practiced with a coach or other mentor.
Perhaps the most important part of the job-support process involves helping a new employee
understand how to appropriately ask for help or raise a concern. It’s vital for young

employees to confront a challenge while they are facing it, and not after the fact. Our coaches
debrief with clients to explore how things are going in early days and weeks, and provide
support so that feedback from supervisors can be implemented immediately and accurately.
Coaches can also help new employees handle the complex decisions regarding disclosing a
disability, including requesting accommodations.
The Importance of Partnership
Partnership is essential during a job search: the job seeker, their family, the career coach and
other experts who help foster skills and abilities come together to help job-seekers find and
secure a right-fit role at a right-fit organization, and foster strong new employee behaviors.
By focusing on long-term skill building while looking for an initial role, our coaches set the
stage for a lifetime of success. We not only help candidates get hired, we help them master
the blend of business and social interactions that is oftentimes a particular challenge for
neurodiverse job-seekers. Early Stage Careers coaches can lend a hand when addressing
challenges initiating tasks, prioritizing how to spend time, organizing the work, along with
measuring and monitoring progress. Let us know how we can partner with you

Interviewing is a vital component of any job search process, and a successful interview is
oftentimes the final step needed to clinch employment. While there are certainly ways to
generally bolster interview skills – at Early Stage Careers we work with clients on of
interview preparation – it’s also vital to tailor your preparation to each specific interview and
company.
By taking the outlined steps below, you can confidently position yourself as an engaged,
prepared, and curious applicant who is excited about the upcoming opportunity.
Get Comfortable with the Context
What is the context for the job you are interviewing? Take some time to look at the industry,
the company, its competitors and the area of the company you will be joining. Look at
everything you can find; positive news, awards and recognition, negative news, and product
issues. Use your search engine and any specific resources that the company makes available
as well.
It’s important to begin with this macroscopic view, because you are not only going to fill a
position, but enter a professional field. It’s important to have a basic, objective grasp on the
industry you’ll be discussing, and the way the company fits into this landscape. What is the
history of this company? If it is the product of a merger or divestiture, or a start up, you need
to be versed in those facts. What are the prospects for this market? Is this industry expanding,
consolidating or contracting? Who are their customers: are they consumers, other businesses,
the government, or some combination of these? Is the company an innovator with very few

competitors close on its heels? Will you be joining a large division of experts, or, taking the
role of soloist in a small company?
Balance your research to understand what the company chooses to publish and highlight in
contrast to what the outside world observes. If you find differences in those perspectives,
these might be questions to raise during the interview.
Fit the Role
Next, focus on understanding the specifics of the role. Examine the tasks, tools and people
involved by creating your own personalized version of the role description. Focus on the core
components of the position – what will you do and who will you work with – and push
extraneous details and perks (like ping-pong tables or a pet-friendly office policy) to the
bottom.
Be prepared to explain how your past work at school, in projects, or at early work
experiences mirror what is described in the job description. Capture short bullets of those
examples you most want to recall. If you realize that you are missing one of the requirements
or preferred skills, be prepared to explain your level of competence and inquire as to how you
could ramp up in that area before you start in the role.
If the job-listing includes skills with specific technologies, you should be familiar with the
purpose of each even if you aren’t proficient. If you are unable to find examples of a listed
technology, it is likely proprietary to the specific firm, which is something you can inquire
about in the interview. To this point, it is important to note that job descriptions are often
written for both internal and external applicants – if you notice any puzzling acronyms be
sure to highlight them, so that you can ask for clarification about the meaning and their use.
If the role involves working with other teams, such as marketing, legal, or accounting, plan to
share any collaborations you have with those specialties. Also, ask if this is the description
for the person doing the job now, or if it is a newly designed role; this may reveal information
about changes going on within the company or team.
Last, if, by chance, you are a dog-loving, nationally ranked ping pong player, aligning with
the company culture, don’t forget to mention those details along the way.
Your Role in “Our” Future
It’s important to understand not only your ability to serve a specific role, but your holistic fit
within the company you are interviewing. Envision yourself working there over time, say 2-3
years – you are about to invest your most precious resource, your time, in the company’s
future, so it’s important to think with this outlook in mind. With this perspective, try to
generate forward-thinking questions that demonstrate your investment. Ask about the
business itself, growth in markets and products. Seek to understand how you might add value
immediately, and how your role might grow over time. Understand how people are evaluated
and trained. For smaller companies, ask about the relationships of more recent hires to the

founders or first round of talent they hired. For a large company, seek to understand if there
will be opportunities to move laterally into other areas, or to new locations.
Write out at least five questions to ask that demonstrate you care about the future of the
company, and your role in that. During the interview, you may develop better questions in the
moment, but these questions are your foundation and will demonstrate both your interest and
preparedness.
At Early Stage Careers, our coaches work with clients on every aspect of interview
preparation. We help ensure that these preparatory steps are managed throughout the job
search process for all types of roles, and help job-seekers implement this method for key
interviews. Remember, there is no such thing as being over prepared for an interview – if
your research does not yield dividends during an interview, perhaps this knowledge might
serve you well in a future interview round (or even during the job, if you’re hired).
Consider that you may be asked, “What did you do to get ready for our meeting today?”
Being able to honestly answer this question to convey the depth of your preparedness, your
familiarity with the company and the role, and the thought you’ve given to your fit with the
company is a major asset during an interview. That answer, coupled with your engagement
during the interview, will help the interviewer picture you as a valuable part of their team,
and may very well lead to a job offer.

What has been your experience with Early Stage Careers?
In a word, extraordinary. The week that jobless claims surged by 3.28
million, the largest weekly increase in history, it seemed like business as
usual for the Early Stage Careers team. Of course, you acknowledged that
COVID-19 would hold significant implications, but, your message was
delivered in the context of positive steps prospective employees should
take now.
I believe the forward momentum you created in my son’s search process,
throughout this economic downturn, has made a tremendous difference in
his outlook. Not simply in regard to his future employment prospects, but
also, and perhaps more importantly, in his day-to-day outlook.

What were some of the services Early Stage Careers delivered?
College teaches us how to learn and it allows us to identify areas of
interest. But, most kids don’t seem to graduate with a clear path forward.
Many young people don’t even know how to begin thinking about a career.
The question looms so large some of them feel overwhelmed.
Early Stage Careers began by interrupting my son’s inaction. It helped him
identify potential career directions based on his unique set of skills and
interests. After that essential first step, followed by resumé preparation and
interview coaching, you directed him to a series of highly useful continuous
education resources. Those classes, which are served up in digestible
modules, are viewed favorably by prospective employers. My son feels like
he’s acquiring skills he’ll be able to apply day one on the job. Each step in
the Early Stage Careers process has instilled in him confidence and a
sense of possibility.
What has the process of working remotely with Early Stage Careers
been like?
I have an interesting perspective on this because we began working with
your team before the pandemic and we continue to do so now that the
Country is largely shut down. New Yorkers do not shy away from major
challenges. Governor Cuomo is a daily example of the candor and
commitment it takes to move forward positively and effectively. I feel the
Early Stage Careers team exemplifies that same grit.
You initiated important conversations as the COVID crisis unfolded.
Embedded in those conversations were two important elements that have
gone a long way. You communicated with an authentic sense of possibility
and you assigned actions steps that focused my son’s attention, making
him accountable for his outcomes. Interview preparation, research into
companies and industries, and even some business writing were among
the steps you recommended. All of this was seamlessly executed on a
remote basis.
The Early Stage Careers team circled around my son when he needed it
most. You delivered tailored advice. Most importantly, your belief in my

son’s employment prospects never wavered despite deteriorating
conditions in New York during this health crisis.

What outcomes can you report?
Miraculously, my son has received responses to his online job applications
during the COVID crisis. Lesley, Jill and the Early Stage Careers team
circled the wagons to help him prepare for phone interviews. They helped
him discover the silver lining in himself and our collective ability to work
together in troubled times. I am grateful, and, frankly, deeply moved by
what I’ve witnessed.

During the COVID 19 pandemic, Early Stage Careers strongly encourages
clients to find ways to contribute time and talent to organizations that need
help. Volunteerism provides an avenue to make a real, positive impact in a
time of crisis. It’s also a way to be productive, expand your horizons and
network, and apply your skills to tangible projects. These developmental
experiences will help you as you pursue future opportunities in the work
world.
Framework for Identifying Opportunities

1. Search for Possibilities

Research what is available in your area or virtually, patterning after
the ideas offered below. To gather ideas, ask family members which
organizations or causes they volunteer with or donate to.

2. Evaluate Opportunities and Organizations
   Before reaching out, consider the reputation and scope of the
   organizations’ work. Does it fit with your values and interests? Will it
   be easy to work virtually? Can you contribute while still practicing
   social distancing? If their doors are closed now, do they need skill
   based, behind the scenes, help preparing for the restoration of their
   services?
3. Offer Your Time and Talent
   Create a short note introducing yourself, sharing a few of your
   relevant skills along with how many hours you have available. Reach
   out to targeted organizations first. Also, consider contacting local
   religious or neighborhood groups, your town council, and
   well-established groups such as the Lions Club, The Rotary,
   Community Foundations, or the director of your public library – many
   libraries are still operating virtually.

Skills to Offer an Organization or Individual
● Digitization Work: Help an organization digitize their training
materials, creating online content or videos
● Environmental Projects: Bird Counts, Beach Conservation, and
Litter Pick Up Projects are outdoor efforts you can undertake while
social distancing
● Fundraisers: Do project planning and design collateral materials for
future use
● Pen Pal Program: Write to members of the Armed Services, the
elderly, or the incarcerated
● Tutoring: Offer video support to parents who unexpectedly need to
homeschool their children
● Volunteer Later: Train now for future service by learning about the
mission of an organization.

These unprecedented times mean immediate changes for everyone – be it
separation from family, friends, peers, professors, roommates, collegiate
infrastructure, and work colleagues; or getting used to living and working
under one roof with family and/or roommates.
While the health issues presented by the pandemic are of the utmost
concern, the massive projected impact on the economy may be the worst
many of us may have lived through in terms of uncertainty and
employment. This will be particularly challenging for the generation of
young people attempting to enter and/or successfully weather the current
job market.
Early Stage Careers’ roots are in the recession of 2009, when we saw
the need to help emerging young professionals who could not navigate that
unchartered territory. Due to the realities posed by the recession, these
young job-seekers were competing with more experienced alumni, and
many did not know how to go about a successful job search. Seeing this
need, we built a strong, successful company to fulfill our mission: helping
early careerists develop as candidates and get hired into meaningful jobs
and internships to launch their careers. We have firsthand understanding of
how to navigate these challenges, as our collective team of esteemed,
seasoned coaches have experienced and survived tough economic
downturns in corporate America at Fortune 500 companies and
organizations servicing them.
With our mission in mind, we are continuously, thoughtfully evaluating how
this unprecedented situation might impact young job seekers. We are
currently supporting all of our clients and services virtually,
particularly emphasizing these areas:
● Companies are turning to remote hiring practices:
We are emphasizing candidate’s digital branding (including online
presence and interactions) and prioritizing virtual interview and
meeting skills.
● Remote working environments demand unique We are building further
skill development into our services, continuing to
emphasize technology.

● Early Careerists are overwhelmed by the current hiring landscape:
We are offering compartmentalized parts of some of our programs to
prepare for hiring in stages.
● Competitive job marketplaces demand more qualified applicants:
We are working more closely with, and integrating further,
our assessment programs to target optimal opportunities that align
with client skills and employer needs.
● Employers are reexamining their hiring practices in light of the
global crisis:
Early Stage Careers’ senior team members have extensive HR
experience and relationships with corporate employers. Our team is
proactively reaching out to understand if and how they are altering
their current approach to hiring early careerists.
● Many early careerists don’t understand how to execute a
successful job search:
Our company provide job and internship seekers with tools they need.
our continued support, as we help our young and/or emerging
professionals forge forward in these trying times. Our goal is to continue to
position our clients with the best chances to succeed in this environment.

The current Covid-19 pandemic has had major implications for young job seekers. Many
early careerists have returned home amidst the outbreak and are adjusting to a new normal –
some are completing educational requirements online and adjusting to life surrounded by
family; others may be relaunching after losing a job early in their career, stunned and unsure
of how to move forward.
Early Stage Careers coaches are utilizing their years of experience to help guide job seekers
through the current difficult circumstances. While this is an exceptionally challenging time
for young job-seekers, here are practical suggestions that will help early careerists maintain
momentum in the face of our new normal.
Don’t lose sight of your goals
Take time to relax and utilize the opportunity to do things you would not have otherwise been
able to do. Read that novel on the shelf, watch a new movie, listen to a TED talk; but do not
idle away your time. It is easy to indulge ourselves at the current moment, spending hours
watching Netflix and sharing memes on social media. And this has value – it makes us laugh,
and helps us connect with community and culture, transporting us out of the current dilemma
– but it’s not helping you build your future.
Re-examine your goals. Consider the reasons you chose your career path and see if the
framework for these decisions has changed in any way. Take this time to explore and
consider career options – if companies aren’t actively hiring the positions that interest you,
research the market for the types of jobs you are seeking in order to better understand what
these opportunities may look like when we enter the recovery from the pandemic. Connect
with people who are working in these areas now and discuss their vision for the future. You
may solidify your desire to pursue a particular job, or find new things to work on related to
skills and technology needed to enter a field.
If you had secured (or hoped to secure) a summer internship, understand how companies are
For those seeking employment, while some companies are hiring right now, despite the
pandemic, the most prevalent jobs might not be the ones an early careerist imagined for
themselves. Investigate how freelance, gig work and contractor opportunities are marketed in
your area. Be ready for anything.
Master the tools for the times
At Early Stage Careers, we encourage everyone, at every stage of life to invest time in
mastering the art of the video interview and interactions – and in our current climate, are

more needed than ever. By focusing on these skills, you’ll be prepared to participate in virtual
career fairs or other remote hiring opportunities, as these alternatives continue to emerge.
Now is also a great time to focus on developing skills with basic office technology. Mastering
platforms like Powerpoint or Excel, or familiarizing yourself with industry-specific software
programs, will only serve you well going forward. Try to understand what sophisticated
features exist, and learn to utilize them by studying online tutorials and videos. You are not
alone in this
Ironically, this period of isolation offers a unique opportunity to connect with others. Use
your phone, and video engagement tools, like Zoom and social media to connect with people
– check in on how they are personally doing, and tell them what is happening for you and
what you are looking to do in the future. Offer to help them with their goals if you can –
remember, networking isn’t a one-way street. For right now, focus on finding your tribe and
staying in contact. When things get better, hopefully soon, we will all be rushing around to
ramp back up – but for now, take advantage of ways to keep in touch while socially
distancing.
Structure is key to success
Creating both short-term and long-term plans can be extremely helpful aids during the current
outbreak. From a macro-standpoint, try to identify things you’d like to achieve during this
time – it could be learning a professional or personal skill, or starting a new hobby. In terms
of daily routine – make a schedule each day, planning your time and creating structure and
purpose, including: school work, socializing, skill building, exercise, eating and
entertainment. While a routine might not be as logistically necessary as usual, maintaining a
schedule can be really Don’t be too hard on yourself if you’re not adhering to your schedule
by the minute – it’s challenging to manufacture structure in an unstructured time – but by
creating a daily schedule, you can strive to stay grounded and are more likely to use your
time productively.
Find ways to give back
In a time of crisis, while it’s great to focus on bettering yourself, it’s truly important to try to
help those around you if you are in a position to do so. Look for ways to give back both big
and small. Help your family members and neighbors – you can offer to help with groceries,
cleaning, or other household necessities, and proactively reach out to help those who aren’t
with you feel less isolated.
With those things on track, take time to explore other opportunities to contribute in the larger
community. There are online opportunities to volunteer to do digitization work, or assist with
projects in your community. If you are not sure where to begin, to find opportunities, and
evaluate if they are a match for you, we have for you to consider, leveraging ideas
suggestions from organizations that inspire those of us at Early Stage Careers. Use this to
guide you in finding places to share your talents and time that resonate with your interests. Of
course, volunteering can help your resume look more robust – but most importantly, giving

back in a time of need is a demonstration of your character, and your efforts can go a long
way to helping those who truly need it.
Ready for the Recovery
If you or your family have fallen ill, we hope that you are healthy again very soon; if you are
healthy, we hope you stay the course.
When society and our medical professionals get this under control, every aspect of the market
will have a “let’s get back to business” sense of urgency. We will all have a common
storyline in the future, the one we’ll tell when someone asks us, “So, how did you use that
time when everything came to a standstill?” While you should use this time to ensure that
your personal professional materials are in top shape, such as your resume, LinkedIn Profile
and cover letter, and to clean up your digital shadow on social media (removing some of
those college photos may be in your best interest), this should go deeper. Chronicle your
feelings and try to articulate what you’re learning about yourself, your skills, others; and
document what you’ve accomplished. Without a doubt, people in hiring roles (including
university clubs) will ask how you got through this and what you focused on. You will want
to spend time thinking about this now; which could serve as an impetus for you to take
initiative in some of the topics above.
We are all in this together; now is an opportunity to really think about how you want your
future to be shaped by this experience. By taking proactive steps now, you can ensure your
story will demonstrate that you made the best of an unforeseen opportunity, rather than
dwelling on a crisis. If you need help sorting through options related to any of these
suggestions, please reach out to us.

For job-searching students and graduates alike, the COVID-19 crisis has
created an unprecedented situation. Businesses continue to grapple with
unanticipated logistic and economic challenges, as permanent staff adjust
to remote teamwork and the economy slows.
The bountiful job market of just about two months ago has been
transformed into a job market characterized by unknowns. However, that
isn’t to say opportunities have evaporated—there are still many companies
that have, or will have, roles that need to be filled.
Keep Structure
Getting a job is a job. It is also frustrating, stressful, lacks structure and
predictability, and is wrought with more rejection than most young adults
have experienced.
To develop momentum and resilience, it’s important to establish structure
in your daily job search. Look at our plots of steps to take on a weekly
basis. Track the contacts you make and the follow-up you need to do. Vary
your activities from day to day so you don’t burn out. It’s also a good idea to
recruit an accountability partner—ideally someone who is also searching
for a job—to help keep you focused and motivated.
Stay Persistent
Look for specialized job boards, such as industry- or location-specific
boards. Some examples include for media and marketing, for startups and
tech, and for philanthropy, non-profits, and government positions. Invest in
those that allow you to narrow searches in areas of focus, geography,
experience level, duration, and date of posting; as we say, these are
winning features. And be sure to create job alerts on Google, LinkedIn,
Indeed, and others, so you get notifications when relevant positions are
posted.
In this market, postings are taken down quickly; be careful to separately
save all interesting listings and your corresponding applications – don’t
simply rely on the online posting. Act quickly – if you do not apply, others
will, and you may miss out on opportunities. At the same time, it’s always

worth applying to potential right-fit options – since offers can be rescinded
at the last minute, it is best to be in the game continually.
As soon as you see a listing of interest, apply and make yourself a dream
candidate. Be specific about your skills and experience, including other
remote jobs or internships – you want to eliminate the unknowns for
whoever might review your application, and make clear what you’ll bring to
the position. Include a thoughtful, well-written cover letter if an option; not
doing so leaves others to stand-out for further consideration. Call out any
distance-learning prowess you may have, such as collaborative projects
managed virtually.
Be Proactive
If you have an internship lined up, reach out to the company and confirm
the status of their programs. Be creative – consider and propose ways you
can contribute remotely. Getting in touch with a point person now will make
you look professional and invested. Discuss both how you could pitch in
creatively during the internship, and offer ideas of how you can volunteer in
the interim.
Even if your internship seems likely to move forward, keep applying to
others, because offers can be rescinded at the eleventh hour. LinkedIn is a
great resource and has several hashtags related to internships where you
can find new openings.
Continue networking and reaching out to people who may have creative
suggestions to help you secure a role that matches your interests and
preferences.
If you receive news that your opportunity is cancelled, be prompt and
gracious in your response. Acknowledge you heard the news and hope to
re engage with them in the future. Never burn bridges; instead, keep
options open – this could lead to online project work over the summer, a
future opportunity to interview for next summer or a full-time role after
graduation.
If you can no longer fulfill an offer you accepted, due to family or health
circumstances, let the company know immediately. Your professional
reputation is being developed, and the company will appreciate you
informing them promptly. By acting responsibly, you might open a door for
a peer to receive that opportunity.

Think Flexibly
A determined attitude, flexibility and a strong work ethic are key attributes
when navigating troubled times. It is essential for grads in limbo to focus on
building skills. Available opportunities may be in positions that you did not
originally think to aspire to, but in any of these jobs, what’s important is to
build transferable skills.
Those who are willing to be flexible can create opportunities for
themselves. Seek out virtual internships. Create a “volunteership” using
your skills to help nonprofits or other organizations in the area where you’re
interested in gaining skills. Of course, not everyone can forego paying for
skill-building. Look for opportunities that may give you an opportunity to
grow.
Don’t limit yourself to one strategy. We recommended one of our clients
simultaneously take an advanced virtual course in Excel, study Powerpoint
on his own, and get certified in a popular inbound sales software and
Google analytics – all in addition to continuing to apply to internships and
jobs where he lives. This multifaceted approach – creating a summer of
productive skill building while internship and job searching – is highly
valuable and demonstrates your industriousness to employers.
Think locally. Local opportunities offer flexibility and have several benefits,
including potential pay. While a local internship might not be what you
envisioned, try to contribute to a company in ways that allow you to apply
or develop new skills. For example, you might seek out work at a local
restaurant and offer to help build their social media presence or create a
marketing strategy to execute in the coming months.
Students may consider taking college courses, preferably as transfer
credits (if acceptable) to your school. This may allow you to graduate early
or to fit in graduate-level courses. This can put you in a talent pipeline for
when the market rebounds. If that is not feasible, consider complementary
courses that make you more marketable to future employers. An
engineering student might complete coursework in the business curriculum
or finance, for example. Finally, consider taking specific skill-building
coursework in high-demand skill sets, such as data science or coding.
The current job market presents challenges for all professionals, and early
careerists are particularly vulnerable. By taking these steps, you’ll position

yourself to deftly navigate the employment landscape and posture yourself
well both in the short and long term.

An internship is a hands-on way to learn new skills at a company or organization
rather than in a classroom. Internships are a great opportunity for high school
students, recent high school graduates, college students, and even adults looking
to explore a career change.
Completing an internship can expose you to the workplace, letting you see what
really goes on in a certain industry, which is helpful information as you consider
various careers. It can help you understand whether the field or industry you would
like to work in is the right path for you. This can help you avoid the costs of
obtaining a degree in a field that is not a good fit for you or that you are not
interested in.
In addition to gaining valuable work experience, an internship helps improve your
soft skills. You will advance your self-confidence, email and phone etiquette, and
your awareness of a workplace. You also get the opportunity to get valuable
professional feedback from people who work in the field. These skills are highly
sought after by employers today.
Just like a job, you must go through an application process to get an internship.
Applying and interviewing for internships enhances your job application and
interviewing skills, which will be helpful when you apply for a job. An internship on a
résumé differentiates you from other job seekers and makes you more competitive.
Internships are temporary. They can last from a few weeks to a few months, with
varying work hours. But they can lead to long-term benefits, such as job
opportunities in the company and increased knowledge about the industry. In
addition, your supervisor and colleagues can be a reference for a job, college
applications, or even scholarship applications.
While many internships are unpaid, the benefits of completing an internship are
priceless.

Journaling is all about writing down your daily life experiences and thoughts that helps you stay focus in your life and help identify the reasons that pushes you off the track at times from the path you have decided to follow to make your life better.
Here are the following 5 reasons that explains why keeping a journal is helpful for any individual who is struggling in their life.
1) It becomes your best friend in need- Most of the time journaling helps in emotionally unburdening ourselves from the hurt or disappointments or any other mental stress which we find uncomfortable sharing with others fearing judgements.You can write your deepest fears or deepest secrets into a diary and it would act as your secret keeper forever.Emotional unburdening by writing thus helps you clear your mind and help you focus on the important aspects in life.
2) Helps in solving your problems- writing down your thoughts everyday helps in tracking your thoughts and access it constructively. Writing down the problems you are facing at the present helps in shifting the problems from your brain to the paper which ultimately helps you in solving the issues, bringing more clarity on life. It let’s you understand what do you exactly want in life and what should you do to achieve it.
3) Self-reflection- journals help you keep a track of your important life events and when you go back in time, flipping the past pages of life you get to see how far you have come. It also helps you understand life better and gives you an insight about who you are as a person.
4) It tracks your overall development- having a habit of writing down you life experiences helps you to keep a check on your own habits and mistakes you have committed so far. It reminds you of not to do the same mistake ever again helping you to remember the lessons learned so far. It keeps a track of your progress as well. Going through your journal at every achievement you accomplish, makes you realise how you have got at the place you are at present.
5) Assists in personal growth- the best thing about journaling is that no matter what, it would always help you become a better person in the end. Journal writing can be used either for personal development, becoming a better version of yourself or achieving your life goals, it would always help you in analysing yourself practically and help you take the best decisions in life. Personal growth is thus the best outcome of journal writing.
So readers, try to pen down your thoughts and life experiences into a diary from today onwards, if you are not into the habit of journal writing and see the difference it brings to your life. Happy journaling!

The whole world is suffering from COVID-19 because of which schools, colleges and universities are temporarily closed. In between this, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has scheduled to conduct medical and engineering entrance exams – National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE – Main) in September.

Every student and parent is now requesting the Union Education Minister to postpone the date of examinations as this would be really tough to give such examinations in these situations.

The social media is now trending with the hashtag #PostponeJEE_NEETInCovid . Even celebrities are also requesting the education minister to postpone the exams. On Tuesday, actor Sonu Sood urged the Government of India to take steps towards postponing these exams as it is unsafe for students to physically appear in the exams in view of the prevailing Covid-19 situation.

He tweeted, “It’s my request to government of India, to postpone the #Neet/#JEE exams in the current situation of the country! In the given #COVID19 situation, we should care utmost & not risk the lives of students. #PostponeJEE_NEETInCovid.”

Except him, Indian youtuber BeerBiceps aka Ranveer Allahbadia also tweeted, “As an Engineering graduate, I know how
stressful JEE can get for the students. I would urge the Govt. to look into postponing the NEET & JEE exams especially when we have evidence of the virus spreading due to reopening of colleges in other countries.”

Not only this, the urges to postpone the exams have gone on international level too. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday expressed her solidarity with the students in India over the NEET and JEE exam row calling the situation ‘deeply unfair’. NEET and JEE Main exams have become a major issue in the country as thousands of students and parents protest against the exam which is being held in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.

She tweeted, “It’s deeply unfair that students of India are asked to sit national exams during the Covid-19 pandemic and while millions have also been impacted by the extreme floods. I stand with their call to #PostponeJEE_NEETInCovid.

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik also wrote letter to Union Education Minister requesting to postpone these exams which are scheduled to be held in September.

Looking at the current situation it seems difficult that schools and colleges will reopen. Unlock 4 will start from next month September. But according to a report by a medical magazine schools may reopen with a hybrid schedule. Hybrid schedule means few students will take classes online and the rest will attend school. This may prove to be a good decision as not every student has access to online classes. this will make sure that students who don’t have access to online classes are not left behind in following the syllabus. According to a survey published in Indian Journal of Youth and Adolescence Health schools have reopened following the hybrid schedule in countries like Denmark and Germany. The same model can be applied in India as well. In this classes can be divided into small groups of students, is group can be called to school one after the other each week. Classes can continue in online-offline mode together. This way every student can get a chance to come to school. As for the journal due to lock down not every student is able to access same kind of education which is affecting students. This is the reason why shutting down schools for a long time will not be a good option.

In this lock down where we all are tired of sitting at home and of course maintaining social distancing,Well thanks to Netflix for rescuing us from this boring situation.There are tons of amazing Netflix shows that you will find entertaining and worth watching in your leisure time.

1 Lucifer- well most of you must be aware of this series for those who are not aware,This series is amazing as HELL!.It is all about The KING OF HELL – LUCIFER MORNINGSTAR, who was once a angle but due to his own pride he was thrown out of the Heaven and condemned to rule hell but One day he decides to talk leave and visit Earth- Gods most precious creation in order to have fun. This is very interesting series ad worth to watch.

2 Young Sheldon- This series is worth watching the story revolves around a boy named sheldon who is very intelligent and believes in Science.He often seen to top his class.The series is all about an intelligent little kid who is very amazing and brilliant loves science often argue his parents who are not able to understand his way of seeing and understanding the world.

3.Originals- This series is for all vampire lovers you will find interesting that its story line is somewhat connected to vampire diaries. This is about the very first originals Vampires the story revolves around the 2 brother and their only sister.One of them hooked up with their only enemies the Ware wolf and the girl got pregnant they try to save the baby who is going to be the only HYBRID of the world, possessing the power of witch,vampire and werewolf.Give it a try you will love it.

4.The witcher- if you are one of them who enjoys fantasy genre then you will love this series.The story revolves around a man who is a monster hunter trying to find peace come across a kingdom and take a promise of saving a girl who posses supernatural power.Its really fun to watch this series.

Give it try to these series it wont disappoint you. Happy watching