It’s February—you’ve completed your resume, written up several different cover letters, and now you’re ready to send it all out. After doing some research and finding several viable job and internship opportunities, you submit applications or write polite emails with your resume attached. Now, you wait.
After a few weeks, you begin to look for a “We got your application, let’s schedule an interview” type of response. When they don’t come, you send out follow-up emails to make sure everything was submitted correctly and that there aren’t any problems with the application. Still, you’re paranoid that those emails will seem pushy and obnoxious, knowing that they’re probably busy with actual aspects of their employment.
Still, nothing comes of it. It’s now April and you haven’t heard from your potential employers. A blank, bleak summer looms ahead of you, and you’re starting to get desperate. Maybe you send out more emails, or maybe you call. But nothing is working.
This is the situation I am currently in—hanging around like a fish on a hook for someone to offer me a summer internship. I’ve done everything in my power to assure my success but someone has got it in for me, as far as I can tell. So how do I, as a person who desperately needs a job or internship, deal with the employer who doesn’t need me all that much?
Unfortunately, regardless of your frustration, you must stay polite. You don’t have a lot of power in this situation, but if you can stay polite and professional in all your interactions, at least you will know you’ve done the best you can. Sometimes this will be really difficult, because the companies and employers might come off as incredibly rude or thoughtless. However, just tell yourself that they are probably just having a bad day (whether it’s true or not doesn’t really matter), and return their rude behavior with good behavior.
Take this lack of professionalism to consider whether you want to work for this company or under this individual at all, much less for an entire summer or year. Working in a professional environment for someone who isn’t a professional person can ruin your outlook on that career. If you’re able to do so, look elsewhere in the company or give up on that particular opportunity.
If you’re dead-set on getting a certain job, keep pushing forward. Write follow-up emails, maybe even so often as three times a week—just keep them short and to the point. Try to talk to someone else in the company, perhaps a superior, to make your voice heard. It’s going to seem obnoxious and you might ruffle a few feathers, but no one got anywhere by taking the back seat.
Ask your career services office, or professors and other campus connections, to get in touch with the company or the individual offering you the position. As crazy as it seems, a lot of companies do not like dealing with students one-on-one and prefer to have their interns university-approved before they even consider a resume.
Perhaps you’ve got the internship or job and your supervisor is not communicating with you about schedules or preparedness. Perhaps they’re leaving you to fend for yourself, and you’re not very comfortable with your lack of knowledge. In those cases, Google is your best friend. Research anything you want to about the company, including the job title and perhaps even basic office skills. Once again, stay in contact—even if they’re not responding, as long as you put your best foot forward, hopefully nobody will blame you for any mistakes you make on the job.
If you do manage to succeed in your employment search and secure a position, you might end up with an employer who is rude or abrasive in person. This may stem from an assumption that you’re inexperienced or incompetent simply because you’re a college student. The best way to deal with these types of employers is to prove them wrong. Rise above their expectations, and if possible, find a work buddy (a friend, sister, or mother) with whom to share your struggles. Just be careful—as much as you’re tempted to, don’t gossip to the wrong people! It could cost you your job or internship.
Above all, look at all of these unprofessional instances as a learning opportunity. When you are in the power to hire students for internships or jobs, make sure you respond to them promptly and with kindness. Remember this struggle and your world might benefit from others’ ignorance.
Image Credit: The Odyssey, Tumblr, Imgur