It’s crunch time, people. A lot of summer internships are coming to to close (since many have a deadline of March 15), which means that you’re probably sending the last of your applications, cover letters, and resumes in the hopes that someone (anyone?) contacts you. But for those of you who are nearing the end and don’t really know where to start, listen up.
Go to the CDC
If you’ve never been to the Career Development Center, book an appointment and get your butt down there. They will help with your resume, mock interviews, general guidance, or whatever you want. They’ll also be very blunt with you about what internships you are more likely to get – that being said, apply for anything and everything. Internships are for experimentation and figuring out what field you actually want to go into, and you never know who is going to accept you and who won’t, so go for the big companies but apply to small ones, too.
Check All the Sites
CareerLink, Indeed.com, even LinkedIn have amazing job opportunities that you can narrow down to the smallest of categories. And if you have a specific company in mind, go to their careers section on their website and check that out, too. Worst comes to worst, send an email or even a handwritten letter saying you’d like to work for the company for the summer and if they have any openings. Trying never hurt.
For the Interview: Prepare and Dress the Part
Research as much as you can about whatever company you’re applying to – you never know what questions they might ask. Also, check out Glassdoor.com, since sometimes they have reviews of interviews and jobs. Make sure you dress the part, too – whether it’s a skype or in-person, dress for success no matter the job; it’ll show you’re professional. And for the love of God if you have a skype interview don’t wear pajama pants with a nice top (that’s not dressing the part and God forbid you have to get up) and don’t do it in your bedroom, it’s wayyyy too personal… instead, rent a room in the lib or anywhere else.
Send a Thank You
Whether it’s a handwritten letter or email, always follow up with whomever you interviewed with to thank them for their time and to reiterate how excited you are about the opportunity you’ve been given.