In college, everyone wants you to have experience in the field you want to go into. For some you may get to do this through classes or your school work, while others have the task of finding an internship. An internship is beneficial to all college students because not only will you be gaining experience, but you get to mention it on your resume and possibly get college credit for it. The kicker is finding an internship that is going to help and guide you, and this can sometimes be difficult. During my 4 years, I have been able to figure out some easier ways to find internships that are going to be beneficial for me in the future. It has taken some time to figure out some easier ways, but I have a few tips that helped me.
- Get Help From Your School
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My first piece of advice is to get your school’s help. Being in the School of Communication, I found out that so many of the professors, advisors and staff know about plenty of internships. One of them even had a list of over 200 for the students to go through. Asking those people from the school that you may talk to or see daily, may land you an internship you would have never found on your own. Even people outside of your major’s school may be extremely helpful.
- Connections & Networking
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Along with that, making connections with people that you meet is huge. If you meet another student that has an internship you like or know someone from a job, all those connections are beneficial in the search for an internship.
- Talk To Someone In Your Field
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I also suggest talking to someone in the field you’d like to go into. This will help you identify what type of internship is right for you. Getting a feel for what someone does in their job can help you narrow down if that is the type of thing you want/need experience in. Talking to someone can also help you with networking and making those connections that are going to benefit you in the future.
- Start Searching Early
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When searching, try to start as early as possible. Many internships start at the beginning of a semester or the beginning of summer time. The earlier you start searching, the better. However, sometimes you are able to start an internship with a place whenever, so be careful and look for deadlines the internship may have for you to apply.
- Use Online Resources
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Another good place to look is online. Try searching for a field that you want to go into and see if any places are looking for interns. There are many great websites online that are helpful when trying to find an internship. However, make sure that it is a legitimate opportunity and not a scam. Most of the time they are real, but always double check before applying.
Finding an internship can definitely be difficult, but these are some of the things that I have learned through my years of looking for internships. Never give up the search and don’t be afraid to ask others for help, because they may just help you find the internship you have been looking for.