The dreaded internship is a box that can feel impossible to check off your college bucket list. Internships are a great step for setting yourself up for success, but the process of landing them can feel really overwhelming as you’re trying to find the right one for you — one that will not only be interesting, but will also lead you to the right opportunities. But despite it being a traditionally tedious process that can feel really discouraging, there’s ways to take the pressure off and make the whole internship search feel fun — because it’s way easier to do work when you think it’s fun. (Trust me. I’m an English major.)Â
This is where the concept of “job shopping” comes in. ICYMI, “job shopping” is a method of searching for a job, but treating it like you’re shopping for one instead. According to The Everygirl, the term was coined on TikTok by creator Piper Phillips, who described the concept as turning away from the desperate act of looking for something that’ll pay your bills, and instead thinking about it like you’re looking for something that best suits your wants and needs.
While this concept is typically used to approach full-time jobs, it can still really help with your internship applications. Basically, it’s all about being intentional!Â
All you need to do is believe the internship market is your shopping mall — anything that you like, or anything that interests you is fair game to apply for (just like when you pick out a bunch of cute going-out tops to try on). Focus on applying to internships that feel right for you, rather than just 100 random ones in hopes of getting a single reply. This way, not only is the pressure off of you to just land something, but it will also help you put your efforts into fewer applications, and will therefore be more intentional with each.
So, take stock of everything that you’d want out of an internship. Do some research to figure out what’s actually out there, and make yourself a list of the things you want to get out of this opportunity. Combine your skills with what you want in an internship, and go from there!