Are you terrified by the thought of applying for an internship? Well, here are five tips I learned from my first internship application experience to help you nail that application.
- There’s No Shame in Having Your Parents or Your Peers Look Over Your Resume.
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If you’re anything like me, meaning an inexperienced college freshman, you probably have no clue what the people reading your application will be looking for. Well, I’m here to tell you that there are plenty of people in your life who do. For me, these people were my parents, who have experience applying to countless jobs and my peers, namely business majors, who routinely have exposure to professional environments. If you have a peer mentor or older sibling, they undoubtedly have plenty of tips they would like to share with you as well. Take advantage of these connections and ask them to take a quick look, the more opinions the better!
- Think About How Your Interests, Hobbies and Career Goals Are Connected.
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Both during the written and interview aspects of the application, if there are any, many of the questions you will be asked are structured around who you are and what you want to do with your life. I found that it was effective, and worry dissipating, to pin down two to three interests and connect them to activities in your life and your eventual career goals. Not only is this practice helpful in choosing an internship that is right for you, but it also places you in a headspace to think about how to blend your life into a professional profile. For example, if you have a passion for healthcare, but you’re also an avid soccer player, maybe working as a physical therapist is your career calling.
- Make a Mind Map to Organize Your Thoughts.
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Applications can be stressful and cause your brain to scatter. Refocus your thoughts by creating a visual of all the interconnected aspects of your life. By laying out many of the aspects that you feel define you and your experiences, those essential connections will become all the more clear. This strategy can help you to plan any written responses you may have to provide, or can be on hand during a virtual interview to guide your answers. Also, no, this doesn’t have to look like the detective, murder mystery-esque layouts you see on T.V, so make this map in a way that simply feels the most helpful to you.
- Do Your Research
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An important process is, not only deciding if this internship is for you, but also understanding the magnitude of the commitment you’re going to make. Do some research on the organization you are applying to be an intern for. If you’re lucky like me, you may be given a basic outline of general company goals, expectations, and the work you will be doing. However, if this information is not readily available, it will be incredibly helpful to first find out these guidelines and expectations and then apply them to your own values and career goals. Remember that this experience is largely an opportunity for you to gain exposure in a relevant field and to help out an organization or company that you’re interested in. Be sure to apply to an internship that aligns with your goals.
- Bring Everything You’ll Need To An Interview
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If you are expected to interview for an internship position there are several simple things you can do to help you be a successful applicant. In many settings, professionalism is an expectation, so be prepared to dress the part. Whether you are interviewing over a video platform or in person, be sure to adhere to professional standards by dressing either business casual or professional. If you are interviewing in person, bring a copy of your resume and come prepared with talking points to refer back to in that document. Also, consider making yourself a healthy meal before and drinking a caffeinated beverage since beverages such as coffee have been shown to boost thinking skills.
Internships, and applying to them, can be incredibly stressful. Take care of yourself and remember, you’ve got this babe!