Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
Internship season is in full swing for most students. Internships are important in a college student’s career and can set the tone for your future-which is honestly terrifying yet exciting. Here’s how to go about applying for your top internships and what to do if you don’t get accepted to your top choice-or any choice.
Have a Backup In Place
Always–I can’t stress this enough–have a backup in place. Thousands of college students may apply for that exact same internship. So, you better have a back up rather than having no internship at all. It’s good to hope for your top choice but also be realistic in the sense that it might fall through. On the same note, don’t treat your back up like it was the back up. Any internship is good, even if it was your last choice. Treat it like a learning experience and be happy you got that opportunity. Make the most of it!
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Don’t just have one back up–have a lot. Also, have a variety of internship roles. This raises the likelihood of getting at least one acceptance letter and you’ll have choices. It’ll feel good to be the one making the decision on where to go.
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Use this opportunity as a time for improvement
If you get rejected, see this as a time for improvement. Let’s face it, you got rejected because someone else had better experience or you don’t meet the standard bar of experience/expertise. Get feedback from them (if possible) and use that to better yourself. If you don’t get an internship that season, find ways to better yourself in a variety of fields.
Don’t take it personally
Again, a large amount of college students are looking for and applying to internships. It’s a competitive time in our lives. You might have gotten a rejection letter because someone else was a better fit for that job position–it doesn’t imply that you aren’t good. The decision process is often hard for employers and they have to make tough decisions. It isn’t the end of the world and who’s to say you don’t in-turn get a better internship that suits you.
Keep in touch
Take the rejection well and keep in touch with them, especially if you see yourself applying again the next year. Yes, it is okay to reapply another year. Take this time to better yourself and get more experience. Keep in touch with them occasionally to show this progress and growth. It will help with reapplying!
Apply for that seemingly “unrealistic” internship
It’s definitely okay to apply for that internship you really don’t think you will get. Your “dream” internship, if you will. What’s the worst that can happen? They reject you? But, that’s okay because you’re already expecting that. You can also get feedback from them and reapply (as said before) and have an even better shot later on! And, what if you do get that internship? You’ll be ecstatic that you applied!