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Today’s job market is more competitive than ever, and joining the real world can be intimidating enough without the added pressures of getting a killer job after graduation. With an internship, you can get valuable experience to enhance your resume and become a competitive candidate for your dream job!
Dream Careers is a global internship program that places students at coveted internships, making internships more accessible and getting rid of the logistical concerns that usually plague the internship process. Dream Careers gives college students access to more than 10,000 internships, 3,800 employers and a wide variety of industries so you can have the opportunity to try out an industry, a city or a specific company. These internships are located in seven major cities in the U.S. and three major cities overseas. In addition to setting you up with an amazing internship, Dream Careers will arrange housing, meals, transportation and career training for you to make your transition even easier.
Ryan Kahn, a former career coach for Dream Careers and star of MTV’s hit show HIRED, says that “the way to your dream career is not always a straight path, but what’s important is that you’re traveling in the right direction. An internship is your first step in that direction.” Read on for Kahn’s five surefire tips for getting an internship!
1. Network Like a Pro
Kahn says that the more relationships you have, the better you set yourself up for referrals and future job connections. Connect with your friends and your parents’ friends to network and score a great internship. If the people around you recognize you as a hard worker and a “go-getter,” they will want you to intern for their companies! Build a great reputation with the people around you and you will be rewarded with more opportunities and referrals when you find an internship you’re really excited about.
2. Hit Up the Career Center
Your campus’s career center can be an excellent resource for discovering internship opportunities and getting your resume and cover letters edited. Career centers often coordinate job fairs for you to get your name out there, talk to some possible employers and explore industries that you might be interested in. Most campus career centers also have on-campus advisers who will take appointments or hold drop-in hours to help you select the right career path as well as the academic path that will help you get there.
Don’t be shy; approach the career center early on in college! Don’t think that your career center is only there to help seniors get full-time jobs. Even when you’re a freshman or sophomore, your career center can be extremely helpful for picking your major and figuring out what you want to do after graduation.
3. Use a Professional Placement Program
Internship programs like Dream Careers have networked with some of the largest companies in the world and have established relationships with them, so they can help you get your foot in the door. Often, the hardest part of internship hunting is getting your foot in the door, so take advantage of programs that will help you do so!
4. Check Out Online Resources
Take matters into your own hands and search online internship listing databases for positions. Websites like Indeed source postings from all over the web to provide a comprehensive list of which internships are available to you. When applying online, you’ll often be competing against a large applicant pool, so make your cover letter and resume shine by highlighting your most relevant experience and qualifications. Put your Internet skills to good use and use them to plan your next career move!
5. Use a Targeted Approach
If you’d like to intern for a specific company, find its website and contact the hiring manager or internship coordinator directly. From there, the company’s representative will point you in the right direction towards internship opportunities. Contacting someone at the company directly will demonstrate your interest and proactive attitude, so don’t be afraid to take a chance and go after the internship you have your sights set on!
Internships are a great opportunity for you to try out an industry and gain experience for your future career. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and seize every opportunity available to you!