When going to school, connections are very important to kick-start your career. Internships in particular can open major doors. Here are a few ways to get your foot in the door and secure an internship that will help launch your professional journey.
The first step is to surround yourself with people who are in your career path. Professors often need apprentices or assistants to help make their workload easier, and they may even know about upcoming opportunities before they’re made public. Sites like LinkedIn and Handshake allow employers to stay up to date on your latest accomplishments, and they’re also great places to connect and network with your peers.
Once you find an opportunity, make sure you have a solid résumé that will impress whoever reads it. I’m not telling you to lie; however, you should absolutely hype yourself up. You are that girl—make that known! When you exude confidence in yourself, people notice and appreciate it. A strong résumé paired with confidence can make a powerful first impression.
After the interview, it is very important to follow up with a thank-you letter. You should have a default thank-you template ready for interviews so that sending it is quick and easy. This extra step makes you stand out from other applicants and shows that you are genuinely interested in the position. When it comes to follow-ups, try to wait about four weeks before reaching out again. This shows that you’re still interested without coming across as too pushy.
Even though internships are important, it is equally essential to network with your peers, because those same people will be working in your industry in the future. Who knows—those might be the people who refer you for jobs later on. A songwriter, Mad Skillz, once said, “Work with people sitting at the table across from you instead of the next room.” This means that collaborating with your classmates and peers can prepare you for the future and help you form valuable connections early.
Getting an internship may seem a little stressful at first but remember: a dream deferred is not a dream denied.