How to Land an Internship

Any decent job requires applicants to have some experience in the field before even considering filling out the application. For a college student this “experience requirement” falls into the same category as final projects, taxes, and cleaning out the fridge. The category titled, “That thing that I know I need to do but I’ll just do it eventually”, also known as, “Oh no I didn’t do it now I’m paying the consequences”. When entry level job positions want applicants to have 5 years of prior experience, it’s pretty frustrating for a college grad. So how is anyone supposed to get a job when they graduate? The answer: Internships.

                Internships are like the test trial of a career. You can try out a career path for yourself and see if you like it or not. They are probably also required as coursework to complete your major. Most importantly for the long-run, an internship is the easiest way to enter the workforce. You get to make great connections within your industry and get some of that coveted work experience, but most importantly, most businesses readily hire their previous interns.

               

Sounds great! So how does one get hired as an intern? Here are some tips on how to land that perfect internship:

1. Shoot for the stars

                There are hundreds of intern jobs out there. Some of them may hire you to get them coffee and answer the phone. Others will treat you like one of the team and give you demanding responsibilities. Unless you hope to be a barista or a telemarketer, do your research to ensure that you will have a productive job. Find out what the most prestigious companies in your field are and apply for any job openings there. Dream big! Don’t miss out on an amazing experience and resume builder.

2. Go local and use your network

                If your type of work is common and can take place anywhere (like accounting, or business), then there are probably many opportunities in your local area. Talk to people you know to see if they know of any internship possibilities. As a bonus, you may even be hired because of a personal reference.

3. Use your resources

                Find and apply to any worthwhile internship opportunity using whatever is available to you. Use media such as Linkedin, Facebook and google. Perfect your resume and get it out there for possible employers to see. Most importantly, use your school’s career advisor. I was able to get my internship by going to see our career counselor. She helped me refine my resume and introduced me to an alum. That alum had worked at an amazing accounting firm, so she personally sent them my resume and contact information. After a few email conversations and an interview, I was hired! Building a network of contacts, especially at college, can open up hundreds of opportunities.

4. Build your social presence

                In this age of technology, employers can find you easily on the internet. Because of this, make sure your online presence is positive and professional. Be recognized as a happy, hard-worker instead of a negative crazy person. Sites like Linkedin are particularly designed for job hunting, so make sure your best qualities are shown there.

5. Be prepared for your interview

                Congratulations! You were chosen for an interview! This is the nail-it or fail-it stage of landing an internship, so set yourself up for success. Research the business to find their mission statement, services and history. Prepare a list of potential questions to ask the interviewer, such as intern responsibilities and work atmosphere. I always ask the interviewer about themselves, like “how did you come to work here”, or “why did you decide to become an accountant (or whatever)”. People like it when you are interested in them, and they may have some great career advice for you. During the interview, be yourself! You want this internship to further your career and learn new things, so be honest! You will never be fully prepared for an interview, however, so just go with the flow of things if things don’t go as planned.

6. Follow up

                After an interview, always follow up with a phone call or an email. This makes employers remember you. You can say how much you enjoyed meeting with them, or how you cannot wait so see if you were hired. It is up to you on what you say, just make sure to say something.

7. Don’t give up

                If one application doesn’t succeed, try another position! Keep going and keep your possibilities open. Apply to all sorts of positions. Best case scenario, you have multiple job offers from amazing businesses. Worst case, you keep job hunting until you settle for a glorified coffee-getter position. At least you will get some experience!

Above all, don’t wait until it’s too late. Scope out some internship possibilities early in your college career, then hope to land one of them during your sophomore or junior year. Save your senior year for freaking out about what to do when you graduate and applying for a full-time job.

Good Luck!!

~Jennah