Lauren Berger, aka the InternQueen, gave us some tips on how to find internships, interview for them, and carry them out in a successful way! Intern Queen is a business she started to help get students internships for their time in college and right after. A wonderful online resource, for college students, like you and me, to dive into different career options to see what fits us best.
Here are 5 tips that Lauren offered for us to intern more successfully:
1.) Write out thank you cards.
When we interview, it is paramount that we show our gratitude to the interviewer and for the opportunity. Write out thank you cards! Plus, put them in the mail immediately. By doing so, it not only adds that extra layer of showing the employer that we truly do care about the opportunity, but it also shows our punctuality; both very important characteristics to show.
2.) Find a job we are actually passionate for.
We were curious as to where we should look to find a job… (looking online, walking the streets, etc.). Although Lauren did say that those places weren’t bad, she explained that we should find a company that we are passionate to work for and research internships based around those particular companies. Start somewhere, working at the companies that are similar to the one(s) you want to work for is a very good way to begin.
3.) Be passionate in phone interviews.
She explained that because we are on the phone and a technological wall between us and the employer comes with that, it is “important to kick it up a notch” in terms of energy and passion. You want the employer to remember you, regardless of the type of interview it is. And because it is a phone interview, it is even more important to bring a little extra to the table since it is a just a voice on the other line that they are hearing.
4.) Research the Internship
Lauren gave us some tips on finding out if a particular internship is the right ~fit~. She suggested researching the current interns, or interns of recent times, to see how they feel about the internship. Also, doing some extra research in the company and asking questions during the interview, as in “what does a day in the life of being an intern for your company look like?” If they don’t have much of an explanation for the actual happenings of the job, maybe you should think twice about the internship.
5.) Tailor your resume to the internship
Lastly, when fixing up your application and resume, print out the job description. Connect the two as if the internship/job is an essay prompt and your resume is the essay. Employers don’t read in between the lines of what you can “probably” do, because there is someone else typing out what you have missing. Stay attuned to what you are applying for. Explicitly state your talents, even though you think they are obvious. Employers need to see it to hire you for it.
We can’t thank Lauren enough for talking to us and giving us some necessary advice for the rest of our college career and beyond!
Check out Intern Queen’s website and all of their social media for more tips on internships and jobs! Lauren Berger also has a couple books out: All Work, No Pay as well as Welcome To the Real World. Both of these being great outlines for entering internships and the work force.
Photo Courtesy of: InternQueen on Instagram