Internships are a great way to get some work experience for the major you’re in. The whole internship process can be daunting to go through though. Here are some of my tips to make the internship application process as easy as possible and to get a follow-up for the next steps.
1. Attend Career Fairs
This is probably one of the best pieces of advice on this list. Attending career fairs is a straightforward way to directly network with employers and express your interest. It’s best to have copies of your resume on hand as well and do some research on the companies attending in order to really impress the recruiters.
2. Make Cover Letters For Every Company You Apply To
Although it may seem like cover letters are optional, it’s a great idea to submit one for every company you apply to in order to stand out as an applicant. You can start by finding cover letter templates online for inspiration and revising them to highlight your academic and professional qualifications for the position.
3. Polish Your Resume At Your College’s Career Center
Most universities and the specific colleges for your major have career centers to give you another set of eyes on your resume. This is incredibly helpful, as you’re able to make revisions that you may not have thought would stand out originally. I personally have used “The Center” for MSU’s College of Engineering, and not only do they look over your resume, but they also offer all sorts of additional career advice.
4. Use LinkedIn To Reach Out To Alumni From Your Dream Company
LinkedIn has made it easy to connect with alumni from your University within the website. You can filter by what company they work at, where they live, their job position, what they’re skilled at, and what they studied. Using all of these filters, you can narrow down to as many individuals as you wish and message them directly to ask for how they got their position and what their experience is like.
5. Join Professional Clubs For Your Major
I would highly recommend joining a professional club for your major if your university offers it. Club involvement looks good on your resume and allows you to meet others within your major to network with them. In addition, there are usually several companies that come to present and work with the club. They often share employment opportunities, so it’s a good idea to take advantage of that and network with the employers.
It’s not too late to apply for internships! Use these tips to kick start your internship application process.