A year or so ago, I wrote an article called “So You Can’t Get a Summer Internship, Now What?” which documented my struggle with finding an internship and what I did instead that summer. I am happy to say that this past summer, I finally got a summer internship, learned so much and gained a new appreciation for life outside of college.
As college students, we are pressured to find internships so that we can gain real-world experience. While the logic behind that idea makes sense, the actuality is everyone applies for the same internships making it much more challenging to find one.
Last year I put my mind to having a summer internship secured by the end of December and after a lot of hard work and determination, I accomplished my goal. I figured as a senior who is once again going through the same process with applying to full-time jobs, I could give some tips as to how I got my internship so that other people who are encountering similar issues could have some insight.
I am no expert and my advice might not work for everyone but this is what I did to get an internship.
- Start Early
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My biggest mistake in years prior to last year is that I started looking for an internship in January of the same year I wanted an internship because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. This would lead to me not getting any internships (or even interviews for that matter) because all of the internship spots would already be filled up.
What I decided to do last year was to start looking in September which is when most of the internship applications open. The earlier you start, the fewer people who have already applied, which means the more likely you are to get an interview.
- go to a career counselor
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At most colleges and universities, they have career counselors that can provide guidance on resumes, cover letters, and even help you prepare for interviews. I highly recommend getting an appointment to have your resume looked at as early as possible or if you don’t have a resume, getting an appointment so they can help you create a resume that showcases your skills.
These career counselors are great because they have experience in crafting resumes and cover letters that land people interviews. They also know the types of questions asked in interviews and can help you prepare your answers.
Last year, I went to a university career counselor and they helped me craft the perfect cover letter template that I tailored to each internship I was applying for. I highly recommend visiting a career counselor if you get the opportunity.
- create or update your Linkedin profile
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LinkedIn is one of the best sources for finding jobs because it mixes business with social media. Your LinkedIn profile is essentially your resume and it allows anyone to see your professional information.
Most students either don’t have a LinkedIn profile or have a LinkedIn profile but don’t regularly update it because they don’t think that it is important. Having an updated LinkedIn profile is essential in that it will allow recruiters to contact you based on your skills for internships that they think you might be a good fit for.
After you finish your resume, go onto LinkedIn and fix your profile so that it looks like your resume. I have gotten so many interviews through LinkedIn and it is now a platform that I check way more often than I used to.
- use your school’s career website
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Many universities have career websites where employers can post jobs and internship opportunities for students. I highly recommend finding out what that website is at your respective school.
I was able to find my internship on my school’s career website last year and it made it easier to filter through legitimate jobs and internships because they are through a university-run platform. It can be overwhelming at first but once you figure out the keywords and locations for the internship you are looking for, you will end up applying to ten internships on the spot guaranteed.
- Do Not Stress
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The whole process of finding an internship can be so stressful and rejections can drive you to your breaking point. It is important to remember that rejection is a part of life and with rejection you are one step closer to finding the right internship for you.
Don’t stress yourself out throughout this process because you are worth so much more than some internship and a rejection is not indicative of your character or your accomplishments. Just keep going and eventually, things will click into place.
I remember at one point last year, I started crying because I didn’t make it to the second round for an internship I really wanted. A week later, I got an email saying that I had gotten another internship that ended up being life-changing for me.
Through it all, try and stay positive and don’t stress!
Through all of these tips, I was able to get an internship that I wanted and now I can apply them as I look for a full-time job. Getting an internship in college isn’t everything but if you want one, there is no reason why with some hard work and some great interview answers you can’t get one.
I hope this was helpful and happy internship hunting, collegiettes!