A key part of most students’ college careers are internships. According to Oxford Languages, an internship is defined as, “The position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.” These experiences are not only a wonderful way to further your education, but also a great way to obtain professional skills and potentially open doors to opportunities post-graduation.
The process of researching, applying, and interviewing for an internship can be an especially draining one. Over a seven month period, I personally applied to over 110 positions with 59 different companies and had 22 interviews before finally landing a summer internship with a local public media organization. While the process was honestly a little excruciating, I learned so much from my experience that will not only prepare me for future job searches, but also (hopefully) help some of you on your journey, too!
The first thing you should do even before applying to internships, is to make a plan. Start by asking yourself, “What do I want to do with my career? What brand, organization, or line of work would make me most happy?” Then take note of what you need to accomplish in order to reach that goal. For example: if your dream job is to become an elementary school teacher, it wouldn’t make sense to apply to internships with a marketing agency. Schools and educational organizations would be much better options to provide you with the professional skills you need. After this step, make a list of all the different companies that would be worth looking into. With that list, start doing research—what it’s like to work at that company, what roles do they offer, when do applications open, etc. It’s important to consider that many larger, out-of-state companies will start posting summer internships as early as fall/winter (so that students have enough time to find living accommodations and make any other necessary plans) whereas the smaller, in-state companies’ applications may open later in the spring. Also, reaching out to a company over email is a great way to find answers while simultaneously putting yourself on their radar. Even websites like Reddit have a wealth of information from previous applicants sharing details on past experiences or tips on how to get your foot in the door. When collecting all these important details, it’s a good idea to keep them organized and all in one place! During my internship-hunting experience, I created an Excel spreadsheet to track who I had talked with, applied with, heard back from, etc. so that I had something to refer back to throughout the process.
Once you’re done with any planning and research, now comes the tedious part— the process of actually applying to internships. As a college student, you have access to a wide range of resources on campus that are there to help you throughout both your educational and professional careers. Your on-campus career center can be an ideal place to get your resume and cover letters reviewed by experts. Making connections with teachers and advisors can be especially helpful as well. Not only can they provide useful advice and letters of recommendation, but they can also help you connect with industry professionals and potentially open doors to internships or future jobs. Don’t forget about your friends either! Friends often are in the same boat as you and can share internships they’ve seen online or help with interview practice.
Another thing to consider is applying for internship placement programs. These programs are often exclusive, admitting only a small number of college students on a larger level, but frequently have strong connections with renowned brands within your industry and can help push you to the top of their interview lists. There is always the possibility that you might not land an internship through this program, however, they can still provide you with useful networking opportunities, educational courses, and mentorships, as well! Before submitting any applications: make sure your LinkedIn, Handshake, and portfolio are all up-to-date, ensure you’ve attached all required documentations (including resumes, cover letters, transcripts, essays, or examples of work) and triple-check for any typos or grammatical errors. Once you hit the “Submit” button, reward yourself with a little sweet treat or self-care day. Many say that internship searching is a full-time job in itself, so it’s important to give yourself grace and take breaks in between all the hard work!
After all that planning and applying, it’s essential to be prepared when it comes to internship interviews, as well. When scheduling an interview, pay close attention to time zones, especially if you’re going to be speaking with someone out-of-state or internationally. Also, try to limit yourself to at most, one or two interviews per day. Interviewing for a job can be stressful and can take a lot of bandwidth—the last thing you want to do is overbook yourself and show up to your third interview of the day completely braindead from your first two! If a company wants to schedule an interview during your class time, ask yourself, “Is this company really worth it?” If you’re passionate about this big-name brand that is incredibly competitive and only interviews a certain number of candidates per year, you might be able to justify skipping a class for it, but in any other case, weigh your options carefully. I had one organization keep pressuring me to skip classes for their interviews and I refused to do so. While this may have played into my eventual rejection by them, I also would’ve hated to have my grades suffer due to a company that didn’t value my time.
Before showing up for an interview, make sure to do research on both the company and interviewer beforehand. For the company, pay attention to mission statements, company values, past work, etc., along with the details of the job listing itself. Knowing exactly what they’re looking for in an intern is amazing ammo for interview responses. For the interviewer, one suggestion is to take a quick peek at their LinkedIn page and see if you have anything in common. One time, I actually discovered my interviewer had been a Her Campus member back when she was in college, so we were easily able to connect over our shared experiences. It’s also important to have a list of questions prepared to ask either about the job, the company, or the interviewer’s experience working there.
When it’s time for the interview, make sure to dress professionally (even for a video call, trust me) and show up about five minutes early. If it’s a video interview, make sure your Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet apps are updated—the last thing you want to do is log in for your interview and get stuck with a long app update that makes you late. Also, make sure you take any video calls in a professional setting that’s quiet, clean, and free of any distractions, such as on-campus study rooms. Try your best to stay calm and engaging during your interview and be sure to send a thank you message afterwards!
Through detailed research, careful planning, and proper preparations for both applications and interviews, you can increase your chances of landing an impressive summer internship. My own experience searching for internships was extensive, exhausting, and I frequently felt discouraged along the way. However, there’s one thing I learned in the long run—no matter what, there is an opportunity out there for you. You just need to put in the work to find it and make it yours!