Wave-Makers: All You Need to Know for This Year’s Career Program Requirements
November is Career Readiness Month at Making Waves!
We are here to support you in your career journey and equip you with tools and resources to help you obtain your career goals. In November our career conversations are focused on internships and other professional development opportunities.
Why November?
There’s no better time to get prepared than now! Competitive summer internships and graduate program applications are starting to open and the majority will be open and ready for applications this winter. We’re focusing our efforts this November to support you in your career plan for this year and beyond.
Why internships?
Because internships help you develop the experiences and skills you’ll need to transition from college to the working world. From gaining better job opportunities to higher salaries to more career satisfaction to increased confidence, there are lots of reasons to complete internships. There are also lots of barriers to overcome – which is why we are here each step of the way!
Career readiness tiers at a glance
We are meeting you where you are in your career journey. The career readiness index is a framework that means our Making Waves team of college coaches and career specialists can equitably support you in reaching your post-graduation career goals – providing the right support at the right time.
What is a career readiness index?
Career readiness is a framework designed to help bridge the gap between education and employment. It focuses on developing the skills and experiences you need to successfully transition into the workforce. Internships play a key role in this process, as they provide valuable experience that can set you apart from others with similar degrees.
How do the career readiness tiers work?
Students are placed into a tier based on data from self-reported surveys and assigned tasks. The support you’ll receive and the items you’ll need to complete are based on your level of career readiness, or tier.
| Career readiness tier | Who is in this tier | Assigned task | How to complete (in Wave-Maker portal) | Tools and resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 – Get ready to apply for internships | Students with… ☑️ No resume ☑️ No work experience ☑️ No post-grad plans | Get internship Ready: Identify Your Focus and Take Next Steps | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to discuss career goals and actionable next steps | 🔗 Career Goal Setting Worksheet (PDF) |
| Tier 2 – Get ready to apply for internships | Students with… ☑️ A resume ☑️ Little to no work experience ☑️ Some post-grad plans | Get Internship Ready: Identify Your Focus and Sharpen Interview Skills | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to do a mock interview ➡️ Bring an internship or job description for a position you’re interested in to use for your mock interview | 🔗 Mock Interview Feedback Form (Word Doc) 🔗 Example Job Descriptions for Mock Interviews (PDF) |
| Tier 3 – Apply for and get the internship | Students with… ☑️ A resume ☑️ Work experience that is not directly aligned with career goals ☑️ Some post-grad plans | 5-Internship Challenge: Take Charge of Your Future | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to discuss an internship/job application plan ➡️ Apply to at least 5 internships and report them in the Wave-Maker portal | 🔗 Job and Internship Search Game Plan (PDF) 🔗 How to Video: How to Enter Internship Applications (Video) |
| Tier 4 – Apply for and get the internship | Students with… ☑️ A resume ☑️ Job or internship experience directly related to career goals ☑️ Clear post-grad plans | 5-Internship Challenge: Take Charge of Your Future | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to discuss an internship/job application plan ➡️ Apply to at least 5 internships and report them in the Wave-Maker portal | 🔗 Job and Internship Search Game Plan (PDF) 🔗 How to Video: How to Enter Internship Applications (Video) |
Dive into your to-dos and resources
We’ve got you covered with your action items and resources depending on your tier. Skip directly to:
Tier 1
| Career readiness tier | Who is in this tier | Assigned task | How to complete (in Wave-Maker portal) | Tools and resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 – Get ready to apply for internships | Students with… ☑️ No resume ☑️ No work experience ☑️ No post-grad plans | Get internship Ready: Identify Your Focus and Take Next Steps | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to discuss career goals and actionable next steps | 🔗 Career Goal Setting Worksheet (PDF) |
To get from tier 1 to tier 2
| Deliverables to get from tier 1 to tier 2 | Resources |
|---|---|
| ➡️ Draft a resume | 🔗 Resume Template (Word Doc) 🔗 Resume Review Checklist (Interactive PDF) 🔗 Step by step resume set up guide (URL) 🔗 Resume Handbook (PDF) |
| ➡️ Have some knowledge of post grad plans | 🔗 Career Goal Setting Worksheet (PDF) 🔗 Career Prep Process Map (PDF) 🔗 Career Prep Process Map Worksheet (Interactive PDF) 🔗 Aligned career venn diagram (PDF) 🔗 Wandering Map Exercise for Career Exploration (PDF) 🔗 Your Internship and Job Search Roadmap (Article) |
| ➡️ On pace to graduate from college |
Tier 2
| Career readiness tier | Who is in this tier | Assigned task | How to complete (in Wave-Maker portal) | Tools and resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 2 – Get ready to apply for internships | Students with… ☑️ A resume ☑️ Little to no work experience ☑️ Some post-grad plans | Get Internship Ready: Identify Your Focus and Sharpen Interview Skills | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to do a mock interview ➡️ Bring an internship or job description for a position you’re interested in to use for your mock interview | 🔗 Mock Interview Feedback Form (Word Doc) 🔗 Example Job Descriptions for Mock Interviews (PDF) |
To get from tier 2 to tier 3
| Deliverables to get from tier 2 to 3 | Resources |
|---|---|
| ➡️ Draft a resume | 🔗 Resume Template (Word Doc) 🔗 Resume Review Checklist (Interactive PDF) 🔗 Step by step resume set up guide (URL) 🔗 Resume Handbook (PDF) |
| ➡️ Complete a mock interview and/or prior work experience not in line with career goal | 🔗 Mock Interview OVERVIEW (PDF) 🔗 Interview Prep Checklist (PDF) 🔗 Mock Interview Feedback Form (Word Doc) 🔗 Example Job Descriptions for Mock Interviews (PDF) 🔗 Elevator Pitch Handout (PDF) 🔗 Elevator Pitch Worksheet (PDF) 🔗 Seven steps you can take now to land the internship (Article) |
| ➡️ Have some knowledge of post grad plans | 🔗 Career Goal Setting Worksheet (PDF) 🔗 Career Prep Process Map (PDF) 🔗 Career Prep Process Map Worksheet (INTERACTIVE PDF) 🔗 Aligned career venn diagram (PDF) 🔗 Wandering Map Exercise for Career Exploration (PDF) 🔗 8 Reasons to Do an Internship While in College (Article) 🔗 Your Internship and Job Search Roadmap (Article) |
| ➡️ On pace to graduate from college |
Tier 3
| Career readiness tier | Who is in this tier | Assigned task | How to complete (in Wave-Maker portal) | Tools and resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 3 – Apply for and get the internship | Students with… ☑️ A resume ☑️ Work experience that is not directly aligned with career goals ☑️ Some post-grad plans | 5-Internship Challenge: Take Charge of Your Future | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to discuss an internship/job application plan ➡️ Apply to at least 5 internships and report them in the Wave-Maker portal | 🔗 Job and Internship Search Game Plan (PDF) 🔗 How to Video: How to Enter Internship Applications (Video) |
To get from tier 3 to tier 4
Tier 4
| Career readiness tier | Who is in this tier | Assigned task | How to complete (in Wave-Maker portal) | Tools and resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 4 – Apply for and get the internship | Students with… ☑️ A resume ☑️ Job or internship experience directly related to career goals ☑️ Clear post-grad plans | 5-Internship Challenge: Take Charge of Your Future | ➡️ Meet with your Making Waves Coach in November to discuss an internship/job application plan ➡️ Apply to at least 5 internships and report them in the Wave-Maker portal | 🔗 Job and Internship Search Game Plan (PDF) 🔗 How to Video: How to Enter Internship Applications (Video) |
To get from Tier 4 to Workforce
| Suggested deliverables (not tracked) | Resources |
|---|---|
| ➡️ Target resume with all applications | 🔗 Resume Formatting for ATS (PDF) 🔗 How to target your resume (PDF) |
| ➡️ Cover letter writing skills | 🔗 Cover Letter Format Handout (PDF) 🔗 Cover Letter Template 1 (WORD DOC) 🔗 Cover Letter Template 2 (WORD DOC) 🔗 Example Cover Letter (WORD DOC) 🔗 Cover Letter Review Checklist (PDF) |
| ➡️ Sharpen your interview skills | 🔗 How to use the STAR Method to ace your interview (Article) 🔗 Types of Interviews: What to expect and how to prepare (Article) |
| ➡️ Grow network and engage on LinkedIn | |
| ➡️ Network | 🔗 Informational Interview OVERVIEW (PDF) 🔗 Informational Interview Email Samples (PDF) 🔗 Elevator Pitch Handout (PDF) 🔗 Elevator Pitch Worksheet (PDF) 🔗 Career fair cheat sheet (PDF) |
We’re here to help!
If you’re feeling unsure about your goals, would like extra eyes on your application materials, want help preparing for an interview, or just want a boost – we are here to help!
ABOUT MAKING WAVES Education FOUNDATION
At Making Waves, we are committed to educational equity. Making Waves Education Foundation is a Bay Area nonprofit that supports Making Waves Academy – a public charter school with more than 1,100 5th through 12th grade students – and leads college and career programming with more than 430 college students.
Knowing the opportunities that come with a college degree, we partner with historically underrepresented and underserved students to help make college affordable and graduation attainable. Centering the journeys of our students, our personalized approach includes college and career coaching, scholarships, and financial planning.
Our alumni network includes more than 730 college graduates, who earn their degrees and land jobs at more than twice the rate of their first-generation, low-income peers, with 85% graduating debt-free.
