Heading home for winter break can seem like an oasis to college students, and while there is some value in getting that missed shut-eye, there’s only so much rest necessary, and students should focus on more this winter break.

Andrew Goldstein, reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2014 Point Park graduate and former editor-in-chief of the Globe, reminds students to relax.

“Take it easy,” Goldstein said. “It’s always important when you’re in college to take a break, blow off some steam. I think it’s very important to be able to chill out and get your thoughts in order and relax for a while. Don’t totally get off track, keep doing what you’re doing every day.”

Alternatively, Elsie Boucek, career counselor for the School of Communication, encouraged students to expand their resumes while they are home for the holidays and to take advantage of networking opportunities.

“Getting a resume together is a good step,” Boucek said. “Students should be putting a resume together pretty early on, especially if they want to get internships or some other kind of experiential learning.”

A resume is the key to applying for internships and jobs. Students need to keep it up to date and relevant for future opportunities, according to Boucek.

“One of the things students don’t realize is sometimes experience doesn’t have to be paid,” Boucek said. “So if you did it, you have the experience.”

The Career Development Center at Point Park offers a network of professionals and can help students schedule an informational interview with a desired company or professional ahead of time.

Monica Ritter, career counselor for the Conservatory of Performing Arts, suggests students find someone they can trust to help them make sure they are properly branding themselves to potential employers on their social media accounts.

“Get somebody to be brutally honest with you and maybe somebody with a stricter set of criteria of what could be appropriate or what could be misinterpreted,” Ritter said. “Your friends might not have the guts to tell you, or they might not know being in the same boat as you. But somebody who’s done some hiring has a different perspective.”

Students can make professional social media accounts such as LinkedIn or Handshake, which allows students to connect with employers and their networks during the job and internship search.

Handshake is a job and internship search website that allows students and alumni to seek and apply for full-time, part-time and internship positions submitted to the website with the aid of more than 300 active employers, according to the Point Park website. The university provides Handshake free of cost to students.

Once students build their account and online portfolio, a career counselor can review your resume offering targeted feedback before it’s approved for employers to see.

Erin Howard, career counselor for the School of Arts and Sciences, sees worth in uploading your resume online for employers to see.

“Many Point Park students have been contacted by employers when they didn’t apply for internships because their resume was already on Handshake and their profile was already filled out,” Howard said.

While building a resume, it is also important for students to relax and unwind. During this time, personal reflection can help a student learn more about themselves and how they want to brand themselves to potential employers.

“I think it’s a good time to stop and reflect also,” Ritter said. “You might have been frantically getting through this first semester of this academic year. You have to find a way to give yourself a break.”