A summer internship is a great way to gain some experience, build your resume, network, get great references, and decide what you want (or really don’t want) to do after college! While this can be super stressful and scary…
Liz Lemon understands me on a human level.
There is no need to freak out! This guide is full of guidelines, deadlines, and advice to help you find and land a great opportunity!
This can be the most difficult part of the process. How do you know what internships are available? And how do you know which one is right for you?
Career Services
TigerNet is the Sewanee database for jobs and internships. You can search for them and apply all from the same site! All the ACE (A Career Exploration) internships on TigerNet have the fast approaching deadline of February 10! These internships are all offered by Sewanee alums and parents just for Sewanee students, so they are a great place to start! For these internships you will need a resume, the names of two references, and a cover letter.
Don’t see one you want on TigerNet? No problem – the helpful ladies of Career Services have compiled a list of other internship websites!
Networking
If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can use it to find companies that interest you and see the connections you might have to them. Do a quick search of where Sewanee alumni are working and see if any appeal to you. I cannot emphasize enough how much Sewanee alumni want to help Sewanee students. You can also talk to friends or upperclassmen and see if any of them have had a really cool internship experience. If the company has taken on a Sewanee student before, I almost guarantee they will be willing to do it again.
Apply directly
If there is a company that really interests you, just go for it! If the website doesn’t have a link to an official internship application, find an email address on the website and just send an email. More than likely, they will be impressed by your genuine interest and initiative, so don’t worry about whether it goes to the right person within the organization. If it doesn’t, they will probably just forward it for you or email you back and give you the correct contact person.
Building a Resume
Getting started on a resume can be overwhelming. Find a template that you like, like this one I used, and substitute your own information. Trust me when I tell you that formatting is everything. A clean, easy-to-follow resume will go far. If you aren’t sure how best to describe your organization or position, check out this handy catalogue of commonly-held positions in and out of Sewanee and their descriptions! Super stressed and totally blanking on how awesome you are? Start with this worksheet full of prompts!
Crafting a Cover Letter
Cover letters, believe it or not, are actually easier than a resume. Following this guide, just fill in the sections and keep it under a page. Don’t forget to have a friend proofread it though!
Compiling a Reference List
Make sure you have 3-4 references on your reference list. You want to make sure these people will show you in the best light possible, and you should have a combination of personal and professional. Maybe you’ve been babysitting your next-door-neighbor’s kids since you were 13, and you made her daughter cookies that time she had her appendix out. Or maybe things have been a little shaky since that time she caught you sneaking out of your house to meet a boy. Just use your judgement.
More practically, make sure that your references know they may receive a call about you soon, and make sure they have plenty to say. Send them a copy of your resume and cover letter and anything else relevant (for instance, you might send your professor a great paper you wrote to refresh her memory about your excellent writing abilities or masterful knowledge of the material). You want them to be prepared, not to fumble and say “oh yeah, I haven’t seen her in a while. I wonder how she’s doing.”
You’ve applied, so now all that’s left to do is wait, right? Sorry, not quite! You said in that cover letter that you were looking forward to an interview, so you’d better be ready for it. But before we get to that…
Cleaning Up Social Media
Let’s just be honest. Shake Day pictures are the most recent thing on your timeline, and that is NOT how you want someone holding your future in your hands to see you. Go ahead and hide those from your timeline, change privacy settings, and de-tag… BUT make sure to leave some things for them to see! Did you post an article that demonstrates that you keep up with current events? Did someone post on your wall to congratulate you for a recent achievement? Whatever it is, SHOW IT OFF. Making yourself unsearchable is an option, but making sure that they will like what they see is EVEN BETTER!
Interview Skillz?
Know about the company where you applied, know why you want that internship, and most importantly, know what you have to offer them. You probably aren’t used to selling yourself, but modesty flies out the window in interviews, so know what your strengths are. In fact, Career Services offers free StrengthsQuest and Myers Briggs testing. Just send them an email letting them know you want to take them, and they will send you instructions!
The actual interview will likely be over the phone, but don’t think that is license to wear your pjs! Look your best so you will feel your best, and make absolutely certain to have a pen, paper, and a copy of your resume and cover letter handy.
You’re probably noticing that most of those internships are unpaid, right? Wondering how you’re going to eat this summer? Before you consider selling a kidney, know that you can apply for funding! Even if your internship isn’t through Sewanee, you can still get Sewanee funding (trust me, I did it last summer)! All funding applications are due on April 1 (with the exception of Lilly Summer Discerment Institute for service and ministry internships, due March 1). Just don’t wait until the deadline to start the application. One of the requirements of the funding proposal is an informational interview with a professional in your internship field, and you likely cannot call this person at midnight the night before.
Just take the process one step at a time. Don’t forget what a great resource we have with Career and Leadership Development, and remember… You’ve got this!