Securing the bag can mean many things. One meaning is of course, taking advantage of an opportunity. This past summer, many of the phenomenal girls I work with that you know as the Her Campus Hampton U team did just that – took advantage of an opportunity and secured the bag with various internships. Here are the internships they scored, how they got there, and advice they would give to anyone trying to secure the bag:
Tiana Ruffin
One of our Campus Correspondents interned at ESSENCE over the summer in Brooklyn, New York. Tiana got her internship by networking and building a strong resume that was tailored specifically to the internship she was applying to. That tailored resume was a key factor. Tiana stated that she took the jobs she had like “working in clothing stores, fast food, and catering off [her resume].” She only included experience that had to do with Public Relations. Tiana says that her Summer at ESSENCE taught her that “the work world can be fun and enjoyable if you work a job you truly love verses only for the money.” She also said she learned about herself and what she needed to improve on in order to become a publicist. She had plenty of help from her Public Relations team, who she says taught her how to “be assertive and confident when presenting, asking questions, and talking with press and/or talent.” The advice she would give to others looking for internships is to not be scared and to ask questions. “Being shy and scared, you’re only blocking your own blessings.” If you would like to hear more about Tiana’s internship, she has vlogs on her youtube channel. Make sure to check it out in the link below!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmLqA-5qRF56PU8RVeBVdIA?view_as=subscriber
D’Airah Pridgett
D’Airah got the opportunity to intern with Focus Brands as a Marketing intern with Moe’s Corporate office. D’Airah said that she actually applied to this internship last minute and was afraid she wouldn’t get it. However, she decided to take her chances and applied to Focus Brands because she “agreed with the company’s core values.” She says interning at Focus Brands taught her that “with hard work you can climb the corporate ladder and get promotions and pay raises.” Although as an intern, she did not get to achieve those milestones, she witnessed women who looked like her being hired, recognized, and moved up in the organization. D’Airah says that “hard work and passion really do show” and that these characteristics will carry you a long way. Her advice would be to “just go for it. Establish what it is you want to do and literally start by googling just that.” Lastly, take advantage of career fairs and our on-campus career center. She says that “there are so many internship opportunities in there just asking to be taken!”
Kennedi Jackson
Kennedi interned at the Virginian-Pilot newspaper in Norfolk, Virginia for 12 weeks this past Summer. Kennedi got her internship because the Scripps Howard School of Communications and Journalism emailed students on campus and she applied. Interning at the Virginian-Pilot also led to her getting an extension internship at the Daily Press. Kennedi says her internship taught her how to step outside her comfort zone and to be confident in her work. Even though she applied to be a reporting intern and ended up working on the digital team, she enjoyed it nonetheless. Kennedi said that this taught her how to “take things for what they were” and embrace the experience. Ultimately, this worked out for her benefit because this internship opened the door for her to get the reporting internship she wanted. Kennedi said that initially, she felt like she wasn’t as qualified as the other interns but soon learned that she was selected for the opportunity for a reason and that she was just as talented and qualified as any of her coworkers. Advice she’d give to others looking for internships is “make sure you use all your resources like your major department, and even the career center on campus.” Also, networking is a big component in securing the internship you want.
Jade Brown
Jade interned at Cigna over the Summer through their Technology Early Career Development Program (TECDP) as an innovation intern. She was a returning intern for the company. She first started working with Cigna the Summer after her Freshman year as an information protection intern. Jade said that she “researched the company online and got in contact with a recruiter for their technology program.” She then provided follow up information such as her resume and answered some short response questions. Then, after two rounds of interviews (one virtually and one in person) she was offered an intern position. Jade says this internship gave her “a taste of the worklife in corporate America.” She also learned what company culture she saw herself thriving in. While Jade says she does not see herself working a 9-5 after graduating, she appreciates the experience she gained through her internship. Additionally, Jade learned how to coordinate meetings with other interns and executives which is a very important skill to have in the working world. Advice she would give to anyone looking for internships is: “make sure you do your research and to apply to any internship you’re interested in, even if you feel like you are underqualified. The worst they can do is say no.”
Our Her Campus team had a successful summer. Just like them, you can get any internship you want! Securing the bag is not as hard as you think. Some major pieces of advice are to be confident in yourself and your abilities and to put your best foot forward. If you do this and work hard, I’m sure that you can get anything you desire in life!