Finding a summer internship can be a very overwhelming process, especially given the difficult job market for various industries. However, as USC students, we have so many networking opportunities that help make this process a little bit easier. 

Before I started working at the Career Center in my sophomore year, I assumed USC’s career services were limited to their in-person advising appointments and online job boards. If you’re unfamiliar with the general or school-based career centers, you might be unaware of just how many free resources USC offers to help you prepare for a successful career.

“You should be doing coffee chats!” –– everyone, as soon as you enter college.

Everyone is a big advocate for doing coffee chats, but in my experience, nobody ever tells you how to go about doing coffee chats or even what a coffee chat is supposed to be. If you’ve run into this same predicament, this guide is for you.

Electives are arguably the best part of the college academic experience, but choosing which ones to take can be incredibly stressful. For the longest time, I felt like every single elective I took had to directly relate to my career or building technical skills, even if I wasn’t at all interested in the elective. After all, USC’s tuition is sky-high –– why “waste” a credit on “useless” classes like The Art of Jaywalking (disclaimer: to the best of my knowledge, this is not a course at USC, and there is an art to jaywalking and not getting run over).

Imagine holding a magnifying glass to a beautiful painting, revealing its vibrant colors, hidden stories, and tiny brushstrokes. That’s the role of a tour guide. But instead of a painting, the focus is the beautiful USC campus. Tour guides don’t just show locations, they ensure that every prospective student and their family experiences the passion of USC through storytelling and connection. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider becoming a Student Ambassador (Tour Guide) at USC.

By: Ela Rybak ‘25

When I tell strangers about my major, I normally get one of two responses – a knowing nod or a weird mixture of a shrug and a smile. And I get it. People have a preconceived notion that business majors are only looking for a high-paying job. Finding a job that offers a secure lifestyle is truly a significant accomplishment. However, this is far from the main reason why I chose to major in business.

By: Hannah Skinner ‘23

Changing your major is one of the many daunting and explorative aspects of college, but it’s not as uncommon as you think it might be. In fact, I changed mine twice! If you’re reading this, you’ve probably decided to change your major, but how does the process work? Here’s a step by step guide to embarking on a new academic journey.

By: Ani Antonyan ‘24

As I scrambled through Handshake looking for a summer internship last year, I noticed a lot of job offerings were remote or hybrid. I ended up landing a fully remote internship for a company based in London. If you’re job hunting, or have a remote or hybrid job lined up for the summer, here’s my take on the unexpected challenges that come with remote work, along with tips for navigating the ins and outs of the workspace.

By: Kristen Adam ‘25

Ready to enter the world of consulting and casing? One way of preparing for a career in consulting is to join a student organization geared towards hands-on client projects. With multiple rounds of interviews and only so many open spots available for new members, it can be very nerve-wracking to go through the process of applying to a consulting club at USC. Here are 3 tips to help demystify the application process.

By: Ela Rybak ‘25

Whether you’re a pre-med student hoping to become a doctor or a business major set on investment banking, the job market can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. Here are three tips to make navigating recruiting as painless as possible:

By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

Everyone loves to talk about how important networking is, but no one ever gives you a clear answer about how to do it. As a big time introvert, this is extra frustrating because chatting doesn’t come naturally to me. So when I saw that the USC Career Center was hosting a “Networking for Introverts” workshop (bless their heart), of course, I had to check it out. Here’s what I learned at the event, along with my own experiences as a reporter moonlighting as an extrovert:

By: Lauren Liang ‘23

Before I was hired for my first internship, I was willing to accept any offer that came my way. During interviews, I curated my experiences to whatever I thought the recruiter wanted to hear. While this is permissible as long as you’re still truthful, doing so is a surefire way to end up at a company that might not be a great fit for you.