1. Determine What You Want to Get Out of Your Internship. Whether you have no idea what you’re going to major in or you’ve known since high school, internships are great. They are an amazing tool to help you decide or reconfirm what you want to do and gain experience in that field. Even if you are clueless about your major, an internship can help you determine whether or not you would consider a potential job in that line of work.
2. Use the Resources Around You to help you Find Opportunities. UVA has a vast amount of resources readily available for students. Between the University Career Services, professors and even colleagues, there are ample opportunities around you. Ask around. The various types of internships other students have already done and would be willing to help you apply for will surprise you.
3. Start Early. “The earlier you start; the better off you will be” seems to be the motto at UVA (cough, cough signing leases in October). This definitely applies to looking for internships. Give yourself at least six months. That way if you get the internship, congrats! You don’t have to stress about it anymore! If you don’t get the internship, you still have time to apply for more opportunities.
4. Create a Stellar Resume. This is key. Your resume is a representation of you. It exemplifies everything you want your potential boss to know. If you resume sucks, it’s pretty likely you won’t get the job. Make sure you include any experience that will make you a better-qualified candidate and anything that makes you stand out as an individual.
5. Find People who will speak on your Behalf. Usually, internship applications require one or two recommendations. It is imperative that you start creating meaningful relationships with teachers and employers. The closer you become with that person, the more willing they will be to write you a glowing recommendation.
6. Clean up your social media. In this generation, everyone has some form of social media, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Potential employers will look for you on social media and they have ways of going around privacy settings. You really don’t want them seeing a picture of you doing a questionable act with a beer bong that your friend posted last Friday night. Make sure you un-tag inappropriate photos and posts, and keep your own posts professional. Your social media represents you, so don’t let that be the reason you don’t get a job!
7. Stay Organized. Finding an internship can be hectic. Between interviews, application due dates, homework, tests and social events, keeping track of everything seems impossible. Create a calendar because having all these dates in one place makes life a lot easier. Color-coding also helps distinguish between school priorities, social obligations and internship related events.
8. Make Sure you have a Professional Wardrobe for Interviews. The interview is a crucial part of any application process and your outfit is another indication to your employer of the type of person you are. If you show up in yoga pants and a sorority t-shirt, you will not get the internship. Try wearing a knee-length dress or dress pants and a modest blouse. You don’t have to look like a nun; you just have to look professional.
9. Do research on the company you are trying to get an internship with. During interviews, more often than not, employers will test your knowledge of their company. Do your research and look up what they do and why they do this. Also prepare answers to questions you anticipate the interviewer will ask. Questions such as: “why do you want this internship” and “what qualities do you think make you an asset to this company”. Often times, if you fumble with these answers, your interviewer will assume you are unprepared and that damages your chances of getting the internship.
10. Follow-up. After interviews, send a quick message thanking the interviewer for their time and that you hope to hear back from them soon. Your gratitude will help you stand out in the interviewer’s mind. If you have time, definitely hand write a thank you note. If you don’t have time, send an email. Not only will this stick in the interviewer’s mind, but it also may be kept with your application and could even help your chances of getting the opportunity.