When I first began my internship search during the spring of my sophomore year, I was most definitely overwhelmed. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my English degree and was simply searching for a summer job. Since then, I’ve completed two amazing (and very different) summer internships. Throughout the past two years, I’ve definitely become more comfortable with the entire process, from interviews, to corporate meetings, and beyond. So, here’s my advice to make your search as seamless as possible.
1. Use the Career Center !!!!
This is probably the most important tip, and the one that helped me the most. Holy Cross has an amazing network of alumni and fabulous members of the career center whose job is to help you connect to others and ultimately get hired! From interview prep to personality testing and personalized searches, I credit the career center for assisting me in securing my internships during the summers of 2021 and 2022.
2. network, network, network.
Networking doesn’t necessarily mean reaching out to every single alum under the sun. While most will be happy to talk to you about your job search, it definitely helps to have a more focused area of what you’re interested in doing in the future so that others can help you the best that they possibly can. Cold emails, zoom meetings, and phone calls can go a very long way in helping you to secure a job or internship.
3. be yourself
Okay, cheesiness aside, this is true. I interned at a nonprofit in the summer of 2021 (all online) and a Reinsurance/Insurance company in NYC (hybrid) this summer. During the interview processes for both, they were definitely interested in my academic performance/co-curricular, but also really wanted to get to know me and my personality as a whole. At the end of the day, people want to work with others who are hardworking, easy to get along with, and dedicated. Showing this in an interview, in my opinion, can be more important than your GPA.
4. know your strengths
Holy Cross offers a personality test through the career center. It takes about 30 minutes or so and lets you know your strengths, weaknesses, and possible career paths that you should follow. Your major can also say a lot about you! If you are studying something that you’re truly interested and invested in, alumni and advisors can definitely steer you in a good direction.
At the end of the day, you will know if you are surrounded by the right people and doing the right things career wise. So, go with your gut, and don’t be afraid to reach out! Holy Cross alum, especially, are a special group of people who are always happy to help.