Winter break is the perfect time to make meaningful progress on your career goals—without the pressure of classes and deadlines. Use this BSOS Winter Break Career Action List to stay productive, build confidence, and start the Spring 2026 semester feeling prepared and focused.

📄 1. Refresh Your Resume

• Use the Feller Center’s Career Exploration Toolkit to reflect on your skills and experiences — this can help you refine what to highlight on your resume. 
• Schedule an individual career coaching appointment with the Feller Center Career Planning team to get personalized advice/reviews.
• Access the Feller Center’s resume webpage for tips or examples 

👉 How to spend your time:
✔ Update content, format for clarity, and tailor to industries of interest.

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🌐 2. Update Your LinkedIn Profile

• Highlight your updated experience, awards, and leadership, and attach media or a portfolio
• Use the Feller Center’s guidance on professional branding from the Enhance Your Professional Brand: Career Strategies resources. 
• Consider adding career goals (e.g., desired roles or industries) to help with networking.

👉 Bonus: Link your LinkedIn to Handshake to ensure consistency across platforms.

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🤝 3. Reach Out to Alumni / Professionals

• Use Terrapins Connect and the Feller Center’s department-specific alumni networks to request informational interviews.
• Draft and send short, personalized networking messages explaining who you are and what you hope to learn.

👉 Suggested goals:
✔ Schedule 2–4 conversations
✔ Ask about career paths, skills needed, hiring timelines, etc.

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📝 4. Clean Up Your Cover Letter Templates

• Use the Feller Center’s cover letter webpage for sample language and formatting tips for cover letters. 
• Tailor one or two templates for your top job/field targets (e.g., nonprofit, government, tech).

👉 Focus on:
✔ Clear opening, value you bring, and targeted closing.

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🗂️ 5. Organize Your Application Materials or Portfolio

• Gather all versions of your resume, cover letters, writing samples, project work, and any professional certificates.
• Use folders (labeled by industry/role) so you can quickly apply when opportunities open.
• If relevant, build or update an online portfolio (e.g., personal website, GitHub, Behance).

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📬 6. Send Out New Applications

• Apply to positions on platforms such as Handshake, LinkedIn, and the organization’s websites. 
• Try connecting with hiring managers after applying via LinkedIn message or email introduction.

👉 Tip: Keep a tracking spreadsheet of where you applied and any follow-ups.

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🔍 7. Explore Smaller Companies or Late-Hiring Organizations

• Research small- to mid-size companies that hire year-round and often don’t attend large career fairs.
• Use targeted search strategies to find industries that interest you.

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📚 8. Explore Career Tools & Resources

• Complete exercises in the Career Exploration Toolkit to clarify career direction and job search strategy. 
• Explore additional career tools, such as career assessments, industry guides (e.g., Vault, Focus2), and mock interviews. 
• Watch webinars or read career strategy articles.

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🧠 9. Reflect and Plan

• Draft a short Winter Break career plan with weekly goals (e.g., Tuesdays: resume; Thursdays: alumni outreach).
• Reflect on the past semester’s job search, lessons learned, and adjust your strategy for spring.

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💡 10. Get Ready for Spring

• Mark important Spring career events, such as Career Fairs and information sessions, on your calendar (these are often listed on the Feller Center/Handshake).
• Prepare materials and polish talking points now so you can hit the ground running.