Senior Year Job Search Timeline

Jump to: Before Senior Year | Fall Term | Winter Term | Spring Term

This monthly guide is intended to provide an outline that LeBow seniors can strategically follow to manage their job search while balancing academic and other commitments.

Summer Before Senior Year

July — August

• Resume and LinkedIn Updates: Begin updating your resume with your co-op experience, independent internships, projects, and skills you’ve acquired. Ensure your LinkedIn profile is up to date.
• Research Target Companies: Identify companies and roles that interest you. Familiarize yourself with their hiring timelines, especially for programs like rotational programs or large firms that recruit early. Many companies have profiles created on LinkedIn and Handshake. Be sure to connect and follow these companies to be aware of current happenings and events. Explore additional Job Search Resources
• Network and Build Connections: Reach out to past supervisors, mentors, and professional contacts. Let them know you are preparing for the job search.
• Set Career Goals: Reflect on your ideal job, location, industry, and work environment. This will help narrow down your job search later.

Fall Term

September

• Resume Finalization: Finalize your resume after receiving feedback from peers, mentors, or career services. Make sure you are utilizing Steinbright and LeBow Career Peer Advisors to assist in your resume review.
• Apply to Early Deadlines: Begin applying to larger companies or programs with early deadlines. Many rotational programs and large firms start recruiting in the early fall.
• Attend Career Fairs: Attend fall career fairs, like the Fall Career Fair that happens every October. Dress professionally, bring copies of your resume, and be ready to network with recruiters.
• Practice Interviewing: Start practicing for interviews by doing mock interviews or reviewing common questions. BigInterview is a great resource for interviewing practice.

October

• Career Fair Follow-Up: Follow up with recruiters you met at career fairs and on LinkedIn. Submit any applications from job leads.
• Attend Networking Events: Make sure to attend events like Lobby takeovers, Meet the Firms, Conferences, and other events that often take place in the fall term at LeBow.
• Tailor Applications: Begin personalizing your resumes and cover letters to match specific roles. Many of your applications should start now.

November

• Prepare for Industry-Specific Events: Attend the NYC Finance Trip and other industry events or alumni panels to network directly with professionals in your field.
• Continue Job Applications: Keep applying to job listings, especially for mid-sized companies that might have later deadlines.
  • Weekly Applications: Apply to 5-10 jobs per week. This will allow you to tailor your applications to each position while maintaining a steady flow of potential opportunities. Personalizing your resume and cover letter for each role is important, so applying to too many jobs may result in lower-quality applications.
  • Monthly Applications: Apply to 20-40 jobs per month. This gives you a wide range of opportunities, including different companies, locations, and job types, while still allowing time for networking, following up with recruiters, and interview preparation.
  • Keep in mind that you want to consider the quality of each application you submit. Timing of applications submitted is crucial to ensure you are not overwhelmed with too many interviews at once. Lastly, make sure you are being intentional about applying to jobs that you have also actively been networking with. Job Applications alone should not be your own job search strategy.
• LinkedIn Networking: Continue connecting with professionals you meet and keep an eye out for job postings on LinkedIn. Make sure to send personalized notes to any new connections you may have met at a recent event.

December

• Check-in and Review: Review your progress so far—how many jobs have you applied to, and what feedback have you received? Adjust your approach if needed.
• Interview Prep: Sharpen your interview skills, particularly for roles you’re interested in. If you’re still receiving interest, consider doing additional practice with more technical or behavioral questions.
• Rest and Recharge: Take advantage of the winter break to recharge. Job search fatigue can set in, and it’s important to stay fresh.

Winter Term

January

• New Year Push: Revisit any job leads that didn’t work out in the fall and see if those companies are reopening roles or have additional openings.
• Continue Networking: Attend networking events, even if they are virtual, and look for new alumni connections. The Dragon Network is an existing platform created to help build connections between students and Drexel Alumni.
• Refine Applications: Tailor your job search approach based on feedback you’ve received from interviews and job applications. Make sure you are asking for feedback from recruiters if you were not offered a full-time position after your final interview.

February — March

• Apply to Late-Opening Jobs: Start applying to smaller companies or organizations that tend to hire closer to graduation. Continue keeping an eye on job boards for new listings.
• Interviewing in Full Swing: By now, you should be in the middle of interviewing for multiple roles, so ensure you’re preparing diligently for each.
• Consider Backup Plans: If you’re not getting many responses, it may be time to expand your search to different industries or locations.

Spring Term

April — May

• Accept Offers: If you’ve received offers, carefully evaluate them. If not, intensify your job search efforts by tapping into more non-traditional job search avenues (e.g., industry associations, job boards, LinkedIn). Have questions about considering multiple offers? Schedule a meeting with our Career Services Advisor to discuss how to approach your offers.
• Graduation Prep: While job searching, focus on finishing strong academically.
• Stay in Contact with Networks: Keep your network active, as some roles can open closer to graduation or right after.