You parents call and remind you every day that the deadline is coming up and you still have not finished editing your resume. Your friend already is all set for the summer and does not fail to frequently remind you of this. And your school keeps sending out email notifications of deadlines, networking nights and career fairs, but in reality it only makes you more stressed. Of course, I am talking about the dreaded yet necessary summer internship.
It’s that time of the year when every student is not only thinking about getting their school work done, but also landing that summer internship. You feel as though everyone is competing for the same internships, and you will never get what you want. Between the applications, cover letters, and interviews this process can leave any college student wanting nothing more than to give up and just take summer classes. But before you throw in the towel, check out these tips, which can make your life a little easier!
- Use Emory’s resources: Emory has a great career center where students can make an appointment with a person specialized in getting jobs for your major. They will read over your cover letters and resume, giving you helpful changes that they feel are necessary. They can also guide you in navigating Eagle Ops, so you can reach out to Emory Alumni in the field you want to pursue. In addition, the career center has different events where students can go and meet potential employers to make contacts.
- Get your name out there in a positive way: This means having professional Twitter accounts, an up-to-date LinkedIn, and taking down unprofessional pictures on Facebook. This may seem unimportant, but with such a large pool of candidates out there you do not want to give employers any reason to hold against you.
- Show up Ready: Before every interview you go on make sure you know the ins-and-outs of the company and the industry they are in. The employer wants to know that you are truly interested in working for them, so walk into the interview with the ability to talk yourself up, but also make sure the interviewer knows you did your homework.
- Be persistent: Many students feel that they are being a nag or a bother when they send more then one email or leave that extra voice mail. But anytime you have contact with a potential employer make sure you send a follow-up note either thanking them or reminding them of your interest in the position. If you have a connection somewhere who says they will forward your resume to their boss, follow up with them and make sure they do. All in all, don’t be shy or complacent just because you hit ‘submit’ on the application; this is a process that takes a little nagging.
- Make Compromises: Although everyone wants that dream paid internship in New York City, you have to be realistic, starting with a salary. Many internships today are unpaid and that might be something that you just have to accept and realize that you are getting a different kind of compensation: experience. In addition, you might have to take an internship in a smaller company that you did not originally want or look for opportunities in a different location than you desired. However, these ‘compromises’ can turn out for the better–a smaller company means more hands-on experience and potential for cultivating a relationship with your boss or even the CEO, and an internship in a less glamorous place might lead you to discover the charm of a new area.
The internship search is tough on top of schoolwork, extracurricular activities and everything else, but you know it will ultimately be worth it. Internships lead to amazing summers and unmatched experience, and often times a job after you graduate. And, last but not least, it will get Mom and Dad off your back for about two seconds!