How I Landed My Internship + How You Can Do the Same
Junior Year Summer Heading Into My Senior Year of College
The Search
So, you are looking for an internship? This can be a very exciting process but can also test your patience and resilience. “Internship” is such a buzz word for college students right now and they are vital to future success in whatever field you are pursuing. The beginning search phase of your hunt for the best internship is the time when you can get a feel for what is out there and where you will best fit in.
How do I even begin searching?
A lot of people will give you the advice to look on job sites for internship opportunities. I agree that job sites can be a great tool, but they are not the well-kept secret of internship searching. Why? Well, through research (and a lot of awkward email responses) you will find that companies sometimes forget about their job postings on sites like LinkedIn or Zip Recruiters. A job could be posted there, but the company could have filled that role six months ago and never updated the job posting. This inevitably leads to sitting around and hoping that your application is being looked at. I am in no way saying do not use LinkedIn or Zip Recruiters, I am saying there is a better way.
Eliminate the middleman and go directly to company websites to get the 411 on their internship opportunities. Human Resources staff and recruiting teams are constantly updating those job postings as those are where they want people to be applying through. I know this from experience, out of every internship and full-time position I have had, 90% of them I have found through company websites, not LinkedIn.
Applications
Now that you have found the internships you want to apply for, the most daunting part begins. The topic of applications must be broken down into three subtopics: resume, cover letter, and portfolio. These three key components, if prepared and created properly, will land you the internship you always wanted!
Resume
To start off, I want to make sure all my readers know that I have published a newsletter, You Can Always Make Your Resume Better, that goes into great detail about how to build a proficient resume. In this newsletter, I want to add in a few extra points. First things first, creating the perfect design is crucial. Focus on an easy-to-read design that flows like a story. You want someone that is reading your resume to be able to find exactly what they are looking for without having to look too hard. I recommend taking more time on this step than what you might think you need to. Do not just throw everything on a page in bullets, be bold. I made my resume on the platform Canva, and so can you. So, check that out if you need an idea of where to start.
Cover Letter
Just like the resume, I also have a previous newsletter on my website titled, Cover Letters Are the Secret Weapon You Need to Master, going over everything you need to include in your cover letter. Go check that out for even more detail than what this section will provide. Like I said in my other newsletter, your cover letter is your secret weapon. Use it! The purpose of a cover letter is in the name, letter. You want to use this space to write personally about yourself, the company, and why this is the internship for you. Focus specifically on writing about how your previous work experience and current goals align with the philosophy of the company. Keywords are the name of the game in this section, so make sure you look over the companies “About Us” page and grab things from there to sprinkle in your letter.
Portfolio
When it comes to a portfolio, this might only be for specific types of internships. Some applications do not have a portfolio section for you to add, but if they do, take advantage. Go through old high school and college projects and presentations that could have specific relevance for the internship you are applying. For example, if you are applying for a social media internship, you could go back through one of your digital art classes and find pieces you created that could be cool to show off your computer and design skills. Another example would be if you are applying for a general business internship, you could find an old presentation you had to create breaking down an advertising/marketing plan. This is all up to you on what you want to share with the company as it pertains to their company’s goals. If you are on the fence about pieces to include, do it. It will show you are confident, bold, and wanting to share past experiences with pride.
Interview Process
You have made it to the interview phase! First, take a moment to celebrate because getting here is half the battle. Interviews are all about bringing life to your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. Be yourself and be prepared. Look up classic interview questions and practice your answers. Focus on being specific and talking about what you were able to accomplish in your previous experiences. There is not too much advice you can give for this other than being yourself. Every company wants to hire people that are genuine.
Follow up
After the interview, make sure you send an email to the people that interviewed you – regardless of how the interview went – saying thank you for the interview and that you look forward to hearing about next steps. This is a great way to stand out and keep your name in their heads when the time comes to select an intern. Then the life of getting bagels and coffee begins! You’re going to love it.
Conclusion
All the steps above are exactly what I followed and how I landed my internship in college, and exactly how you can too. Roll up your sleeves and start the journey!
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