As flip flops, palm trees and pool parties fill the minds of UNC students, so does a less relaxing topic – summer jobs.

With an increasingly uncertain economy, many students are looking for an extra competitive edge. Internships are becoming a major catalyst in job searches.

The College of Arts and Sciences has an open position for a full-time multimedia intern.The internship is a one-year paid editorial position in the college’s communications office.

Social media are a means to an end, whether it be to connect with employers, find old friends or share pictures. But it can be a waste of time if misused.

In an effort to help students determine career goals, University Career Services held a workshop Thursday explaining the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The test uses a questionnaire that pinpoints four psychological preferences to measure how people perceive the world and make decisions.

As May, graduation and summer loom closer, one thought is prevalent on students’ minds. Internships. But students aren’t the only ones thinking about internships. Local companies take advantage of the talent available at UNC by offering dozens of paid and unpaid jobs year round

There’s a whole page in the nightlife section of the Fodor’s guide for D.C. about interns, and how to recognize them by the eager expressions, intern badges – and hangovers. It sounds cynical, but the truth is worse. Securing an internship in D.C. requires stellar references, resumes, writing samples, interviews and more, all for a chance to work in the American capital.

In today’s fierce competition for jobs, the need for recent college graduates to stand out means every experience must be marketed as a strength.

The call to become a teacher can be strong but not without hesitance. With concerns about salaries and staff cutbacks, professors in the School of Education said many students, though interested in teaching, opt against enrolling in the school. And that isn’t necessarily a bad idea, they said.

A preliminary survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers revealed that employers plan to hire 13.5 percent more graduates in 2011 than the year before. The final percentage change will be released in the upcoming weeks.

When recruiters were asked to rank their top universities based on quality of graduates by the Wall Street Journal, UNC tied for 25th.

University Career Services will host a “How to Find an Internship” workshop on Sept. 20 to help students familiarize themselves with the process. Students will be given tips for navigating the Career Services website, which will help them find job opportunities. The workshop will focus on teaching students about the tools available to them through University Career Services, such as getting their resumes ready and contacting employers, said Tim Stiles, associate director of Career Services.

Ninety percent of success has nothing to do with book smarts. Instead, emotional intelligence expert, author and instructor Daniel Goleman said it comes down to one factor — emotional intelligence.

Having a professional resume is essential for those pursuing both jobs and internships. Career Services officials added that they stress the importance of starting early for students hoping to land a job or internship.

Students looking for jobs will be greeted by dozens of potential employers as part of the University’s career fair agenda this week. The Diversity Career Fair will be held on Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Great Hall, and the Fall Career Expo will occur on Thursday in the Rams Head Recreation Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The recession has led to an increase in unpaid internships and also a new trend of college students paying for internships. Earning one in D.C. is becoming increasingly difficult, causing more and more students to pay thousands of dollars to seek the help of internship agencies.

For 2007 UNC graduate Meg Petersen, staying in Chapel Hill post-graduation was an obvious career decision. Chapel Hill, like most college towns across the nation, has low unemployment rates and numerous job opportunities.

Students nationwide are preparing for their summer internships, and so is the U.S. Department of Labor. A surge in unpaid internships as a result of financially-stretched companies offering more uncompensated positions has prompted the department to clarify requirements.

Emily Strader is the student employment coordinator at University Career Services and also counsels students pursuing careers in the arts. We asked her questions about what recently graduated artists should do to get started in the arts world.

When it comes to finding a job, everyone — from family and friends to acquaintances — is a potential contact. Here are tips and programs from University Career Services that can help you count networking among your job search skills.