Internship & Job Search

So you're finally ready to get that job you've been told you were preparing for your entire life, but where to even start?

How about with the proper skills, documents, and pizzazz.

  • Resume/CV: CU Boulder offers a Resume Builder with AI assistance through the Quinncia platform. Even if you already have a resume and/or CV, upload it and you might be surprised how many sensible edit recommendations Quinncia's AI gives. Employers are using AI to filter through their stack of resumes, so it's time to fight AI with AI!
  • Cover Letter: While cover letters are often optional, it's amazing how much more information and context you can add to your application by including one (plus how many more keywords you can feed the AI that reads it first so that it moves you to the top of the stack). Check out CU Boulder's Career Services resources on writing a cover letter.
  • Elevator Pitch: Woah, you're at a conference session and realize you're sitting two seats away from a lead engineering at your dream company, or you've finally got to the front of the line at the career fair after waiting for an hour to talk with a recruiter, what are you supposed to tell them? It's called an elevator pitch and while CU doesn't have specific resources on prepping one, there are plenty of online resources you can find. Cheat Code: pretty much every university's career center resources are publicly available online, try checking out 's, 's, or 's pages on formulating an elevator pitch.
  • Portfolio: It is unlikely that you will have had to provide a portfolio for internship or entry level job applications, but as a graduate student you can expect some companies to ask for one. This document is a collection of more detailed descriptions of projects you've worked on, going deeper than the one line allocated to these experiences on a resume. Portfolios come in many forms: word documents, slide decks, and/or websites. Most resources for creating a portfolio are geared towards professions in the arts, but here is a good one for with examples.
  • Professional Headshot: Career Services offers a FREE photo booth for headshots, available 9am - 3pm, Monday - Friday.
  • Networking: We've all heard of networking, this is old news, but you could likely be networking better. Make sure you are capitalizing on networking opportunities. Resist the comfort of chatting with friends and instead utilize the break between sessions at conferences to meet new people. Attend local events like the the attended by many local companies or events. Don't forget to convert these first impressions into a contact: either ask them for a business card or offer your own, and/or connect with them via LinkedIn.
  • Career Fairs: see CU's career fairs here, and come armed with professional clothes and all the resources listed above.

The Graduate School also offers many career resources, including career advising appointments.

Looking for aerospace full-time or internship opportunities to apply to?

Here's a list of websites that can help you find opportunities based on level of experience, pay, clearance level, and more!

  • : join the CU Boulder Handshake to access career fairs, connect with employers, and see jobs exclusively available on Handshake!
  • : a social medial platform that helps you connect with colleagues, employers, and apply directly to job postings with a personal profile you can create that functions as a resume.
  • : a space field specific job platform matching employers and applicants.
  • : a catalog of internship and postdoc opportunities to browse in addition to scholarship and fellowships.
  • : a space field specific database for finding aerospace internships in addition to scholarships, grants, and fellowships.
  • : a catalog of defense and intelligence jobs requiring an active security clearance or the willingness to obtain a clearance.
  • : a space startup specific database for finding new exciting companies on the rise.
  • : a marketplace matching employers and applicants.
  • : a platform for easily browsing and applying directly to a wide variety of job postings.
  • : an aerospace specific job platform with job postings.
  • : a platform for easily browsing and applying directly to a wide variety of job postings.
  • : the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience helps students find internships abroad.
  • : allows you to see reported pay and reviews by current and previous holders of the exact jobs you are looking at.

So your resume got noticed and you're now being considered for the role?

Here's a list of resources to help secure an official offer and then make it a better one!

  • Interviewing:
    • CU Boulder offers an AI Mock Interview Tool through the Quinncia platform.
    • Check out where you can view anonymously reported interview questions that others were asked while applying to the exact same position.
    • While negotiating a salary normally comes after the initial offer, some interviewers will ask you on the spot how much you're expecting to be paid. Be ready for this and avoid underselling yourself!
  • Negotiating a Salary:
    • Glassdoor also lists self reported salaries. See if you can find any listed under the job title you are applying to and how long ago it was reported to give a ballpark idea.
    • Some states like Colorado have pay transparency laws that force companies to post the range of pay associated with a given position. Companies make these ranges notoriously difficult to find, but digging can be worth it, as identifying the maximum that can be offered for your role is a strong negotiating tool.
  • Negotiating Benefits:
    • Half of negotiating your salary is negotiating benefits alongside whatever your take home pay will be.
    • In order to negotiate benefits, you first need to be aware of all the different benefits that are out there. Then each of these benefits deserves their own deep dive to figure out what you want/need.
    • CU has already put together a great guide on this here.