Ah internships, they are hard to find, can be hard to enjoy and make you question unpaid labor laws. But alas most majors require them and they will help you get a job! Here are some tips that will help make you not want to die when finding an internship.
1. Don’t put yourself in a box
Would it be amazing to intern for Puma? Absolutely. But 10,000 other undergrads think so too. We’re in Boston, where there are literally thousands of other students fighting for the same opportunities. Definitely still apply to the name brand positions because someone has to get it, but expand your horizons and apply to the little guys too.
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2. Know your Worth
With a liberal arts education you are qualified to intern in many different fields because of your foundation education. Don’t be afraid to apply for something you might not think you’re qualified for. FACT women are more likely to not apply for a job if they don’t meet all the requirements when men will apply for the same position if they don’t have many of the required skills. Obviously if you can’t do any of the skills, don’t apply. But if you have 8/10 give it a shot!
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3. Use the career section
When I was struggling to find an internship, I started looking up companies in Boston and clicking the career section at the bottom of their websites. Most companies have this section which lists the company’s current openings. This is a place not everyone thinks to look, so you may find a hidden gem.
4. Research you LinkedIn Connections
In my cover letters, I try to connect with whoever is reading it as much as possible. This way, they know you’ve taken the time and the extra effort to make a connection with them and it shows you care! I usually do a LinkedIn search so I can figure out who in the department will be reading my cover letter. Writing “Dear Mr. Smith” is much stronger than “Dear marketing team”.
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5. Jazz up your resume!
Sorry career center, but your format for resumes are so plain. I realized this when I was scrolling on LinkedIn and saw a picture of a resume one of my connections liked. The picture was a resume for someone that lived hundreds of miles away from me, went to a different school and had different experience than I did, but his resume looked exactly like mine! This should not be the case! It depends on what field you’re going into, but since I’m comm mine is slightly jazzy so mine can stand out.
6. Utilize your network
Networking is awkward and annoying, but every adult you talk to will tell you that it’s necessary, and it is! Don’t feel ashamed to reach out to relatives that might have an opening to get your foot in the door and make sure to keep in contact with people you have networked with in the past, about 2-4 times a year depending on if you are actively looking for a position or just trying to keep the contact.
7. Know where to job search
I use HireSaints, Indeed, Google and MediaBistro. Hiresaints is a good place to start, but that’s where everyone at Emmanuel is looking. Indeed can be tricky because there’s so much on there, so try to get specific about what you want, the location, and level of entry. I also googled communication internships in Boston and it actually came up with search results to sites that I wouldn’t have found on my own.
Finding an internship can be frustrating! But in the fine words of Elle Woods,
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