Happy Wednesday!

Welcome to your daily dose of curated early-career opportunities! Your job search shouldn’t feel confusing, late, or based on luck.

Every job on Runway has a match score. Know where you stand before you apply.

If you want clarity on today’s roles (and thousands more), check your matches here:

Your resume says: "References available upon request"

Delete this line. It's wasting space.

Of course references are available upon request. That's assumed. You don't need to state it.

But here's what most people get wrong about references:

They wait until the company asks, then scramble to find people who will vouch for them.

Better approach: Line up your references NOW.

Who makes a good reference:

✅ Former managers or internship supervisors
✅ Professors who know your work well
✅ Club advisors or mentors
✅ Client contacts from projects or freelance work

Who makes a bad reference:

❌ Family members
❌ Friends (even professional ones)
❌ People who barely know you
❌ Someone you haven't talked to in 3+ years

How to ask someone to be a reference:

Don't just ask "Can you be a reference?"

Ask specifically:

"Hi [Name], I'm applying for [type of role] and wondered if you'd be comfortable serving as a reference. I'd specifically highlight the work we did on [project] and how you mentored me through [skill]. Would that work for you?"

This tells them:

The professional move:

Create a separate "References" document with:

Example: Jane Smith, Marketing Manager at XYZ Corp
Direct supervisor during summer 2025 internship
Can speak to: campaign management, social media growth, client communication

When to share it:

Only when they ask for it (usually after 2nd or 3rd interview).

Have it ready to send immediately when requested.

Pro tip:

Give your references a heads up when you share their info:

"Hey, I listed you as a reference for a marketing role at Nike. They might reach out this week. Here's the job description in case it's helpful. Thanks again!"

This helps them prepare and shows you respect their time.

Do this today:

Make a list of 3-5 people who could be references. Message 3 of them asking if they'd be willing. Create your references document.

Don't wait until a company asks and you're scrambling.

Ford

Here are today's fresh opportunities for Wednesday, February 4th:

See you in your inbox tomorrow morning,

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