It’s about that time to start scouring the web for summer internships! It may seem intimidating and stressful at first, especially for those who need a three-credit internship in order to graduate, but it’s actually pretty easy. If you utilize your resources, perfect your resume and cover letters, and (most importantly!) have confidence in yourself, you will be able to score the position that you have always wanted!
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Fine-tune your resume. Make sure your resume is presentable and appealing to the eye. It should only be one page and should list your academic information, major accomplishments, involvement on campus and your experience in the field.
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Search on internships.com or indeed.com. These sites are great for finding your ideal internship! You are able to search for the positions you are interested in as well as the location you would like to work in. Most internships listed will say if they are paid or for college credit. When you find the ones you are interested in, bookmark them and start applying!
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Make Connections. It is extremely important to talk to people in the field and ask for their card. Be sure to make a good impression so they will remember your name in the future. Also, create a Linked In account so you can connect with your peers and professors as well as people in your specific field of interest.
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Clean up your social media accounts. Yes, this is an annoying one but very important. Business professionals do not want to see you dancing on a table or falling over with a beer in your hand. They do not want to see drunk tweets or obscene language either. Clean it up.
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Prepare yourself for in-person, phone and Skype interviews. Once you have applied, prepare yourself for the possibility of an interview. Research the company by going on their website and learn about their product or service. In addition, look up popular interview questions and practice answering them-believe me, it will help when the time comes!
Yes, it seems like a lot of work, but if you put the necessary time and effort into it, it will be worth it. After all, it will be the summer and you will want to enjoy what you are doing. Be sure to apply to multiple internships so you will have options, and remember, always have confidence. Good luck! Tell us about your awesome internships by tweeting @hercampusqu!