1. How to find your (dream) project 19 October 2015 Wencke Kieft - Career Service Science careerservice@science.ru.nl

2. Dream project? Isn’t it good enough to find a host organisation?

3. Step 1: Don’t start using Google to find your project

4. Step 1: It all starts with you Who am I? What am I good at, what do I have to offer? What do I want to learn? Why SMI/ what makes it different/ emphasize the advantages  Share this so others can help you!

5. Step 2: Get inspired and make your wish list Make a list of (minimum) 10 organisations. Use: -LinkedIn and other social media -Theses of former SMI students -Online boards like stageplaza.nl, aisec, stagemotor, nationalevacaturebank.nl, afstudeerstage.nl etc -‘Duurzame stage hub’

6. Step 3: Contact Look at the ‘hiring process’ through the managers’ eyes 1. Problem, question, more work, project 2. Solve within organisation 3. Consider new employee, consultant, temp, intern 4. Search in own network 5. HR department, check open applicants and vacancy on website 6. CV screening and selection 7. Interview At what point would you like to enter this process? (re)define your profile/ pitch/ question and start calling/ e-mailing

7. What to do if: I contacted the manager and he advises me to upload my cv and motivation on their website or send an open application to hr@companyname.com?hr@companyname.com Make sure HR knows that you’re in contact with manager x (start your motivation with reference to the conversation you had with manager X) What if they say: just sent me a proposal? Write a brief proposal according to the thesis (or a few theses) that was most appealing to you. State that this is an example, and make clear that any other project or idea can be discussed. Add your cv with personal profile. They don’t reply to your (open) application? You may expect a reply within 10 days. Try again but stay polite. They rejected your application? Call back and ask, ask, ask. Find out if this is a place you would like to work after graduation. How can you stay in touch.