Let’s be honest: Between classes, club meetings, part-time jobs and trying to maintain some semblance of a social life, thinking about your future career can feel like another thing on an already endless to-do list. But if you’ve been scrolling through LinkedIn, watching your friends announce their summer internships or wondering how everyone seems to have their career figured out, consider this your sign to lock in.
Landing an internship doesn’t happen overnight, and you don’t need to have your entire future planned out to get started. Whether you’re a freshman looking for your first professional experience or a junior preparing for life after graduation, there are plenty of ways to get your foot in the door. The secret? Knowing where to look, taking advantage of the resources already available to you and putting yourself out there.
Here is your guide to finding, applying for and landing THAT internship.
1. Start With Handshake (Seriously!)
If you haven’t explored Handshake yet, now is the time. Think of it as your college student’s version of LinkedIn, but with opportunities specifically geared toward students and recent graduates.
Available for free to Towson students, Handshake allows you to search thousands of job and internship listings, connect with employers, register for career fairs and even schedule appointments with career coaches. You can filter opportunities by location, industry, major and other preferences, making it easier to find positions that actually align with your interests.
One of the biggest mistakes students make is waiting until summer is right around the corner to start looking. Many companies begin recruiting for summer internships as early as the fall semester before. Give yourself time to explore opportunities, polish your application materials and meet those deadlines.
Your assignment: Log into Handshake through Towson’s Career Center website, update your profile and spend a little time each week searching for new opportunities. Set up job alerts and save positions that interest you so you don’t lose track of application deadlines.
2. Your Career Center Is Your New Best Friend
You don’t have to navigate the internship search alone. Towson’s Career Center, located in University Union 225, offers resources that many students overlook.
Need someone to look over your résumé? Want help writing a cover letter? Have an interview coming up and no idea what to expect? The Career Center can help with all of it.
Students can take advantage of Express Hours for quick résumé and cover letter reviews, schedule individual appointments with career coaches and practice interviewing through mock interviews. You can even visit the center for a professional headshot or check out the SuiTUp Professional Attire Closet for free professional clothing to wear to interviews and networking events.
Another helpful resource is the Career Center’s free, self-paced Internship Basics course on Blackboard. It walks students through finding opportunities, preparing application materials, interviewing and making the most of an internship experience.
The best part? These resources are already included in your TU experience. You don’t need to figure everything out on your own or spend money on professional career services.
3. Make LinkedIn Work for You
If your LinkedIn profile is still empty or you haven’t logged in since creating it for a class assignment, it’s time for a refresh.
LinkedIn is more than an online résumé. It is an opportunity to build your professional presence, connect with people in your desired industry and discover opportunities you might not find elsewhere.
Start by adding a professional profile photo, a headline that describes what you study and what you’re interested in, and an updated list of your experiences and skills. Don’t underestimate the value of including campus involvement, student organizations, part-time jobs, volunteer work and class projects.
Once your profile is looking polished, start connecting. Follow companies you’d love to work for, engage with industry professionals and search for Towson alumni working in fields that interest you.
Towson also offers the Tiger Mentor Network, which connects students with TU alumni who can provide career advice, answer questions and help students build professional relationships.
And here’s a little reminder: Networking doesn’t mean immediately asking someone to give you a job. Sometimes, a simple message asking about their career journey or requesting advice can open the door to a valuable connection.
4. Don’t Limit Yourself to One Job Board
While Handshake and LinkedIn are great starting points, they shouldn’t be the only places you search.
Check company career pages directly. If there is a brand, publication, nonprofit or organization you’ve always wanted to work for, visit its website and look for an internship or careers section. Some companies advertise opportunities on their own websites before students come across them elsewhere.
Other platforms worth exploring include Indeed, WayUp, InternJobs and Baltimore Collegetown. You can also look at local businesses, marketing agencies, media companies and nonprofits that may offer opportunities without advertising them through traditional internship programs.
For students interested in journalism, marketing, social media, fashion, beauty or communications, don’t overlook smaller organizations. A local magazine, creative agency or growing business might offer hands-on experience that allows you to write, create content, manage social media or work on real campaigns.
Sometimes, the opportunity that gives you the most responsibility won’t come from the biggest company.
5. Your Experience Counts More Than You Think
One of the biggest misconceptions about internships is that you need years of professional experience before applying. You don’t!
Your campus involvement, student organizations, leadership positions, class projects and part-time jobs can all help demonstrate the skills employers are looking for.
Have you managed an organization’s Instagram account? Created graphics for a campus event? Written articles for a student publication? Organized a fundraiser? Worked in customer service?
Those experiences matter.
The key is learning how to communicate what you’ve accomplished. Instead of simply listing responsibilities, highlight the skills you developed and the impact of your work.
If you’re interested in social media, include examples of content you’ve created. If you’re pursuing journalism, build a portfolio of your published writing. If you’re interested in marketing or design, save your graphics, campaigns and creative projects.
You don’t need an extensive portfolio to get started. Even a simple website or organized collection of your best work can help employers see what you’re capable of.
6. Apply Even When You Don’t Meet Every Requirement
Here’s your reminder to stop counting yourself out before an employer even gets the chance to review your application.
If an internship interests you but you don’t meet every single qualification listed, that doesn’t automatically mean you shouldn’t apply. Job descriptions often include preferred skills and experiences that aren’t necessarily deal-breakers.
Read the description carefully, identify the qualifications you do have and tailor your résumé and cover letter to highlight them.
And please, don’t send the same generic cover letter to every company. Take the time to explain why you’re interested in that specific organization, what you could contribute and how the opportunity connects to your goals.
A little personalization can go a long way.
7. Be Consistent, Not Discouraged
Let’s talk about the part of internship hunting that isn’t nearly as exciting: rejection.
You might apply to five positions and hear back from none. You might make it through an interview and still not get the offer. It happens, and it doesn’t mean you’re not qualified or that you’ve fallen behind.
The internship search is a process, and consistency is key. Keep a running list of positions you’ve applied for, their deadlines and any follow-up communication you need
to send. Set aside time each week to search for new opportunities and work on your application materials.
If you receive a rejection, thank the employer for their time and keep moving. Every application, interview and professional connection is an opportunity to learn something new.
Remember, someone else’s announcement on LinkedIn doesn’t mean you’re behind. Everyone’s career journey looks different.
Your Sign to Lock In
Getting an internship is about more than adding another line to your résumé. It’s an opportunity to explore your interests, develop new skills, meet professionals and figure out what you want your future to look like.
You don’t have to land your dream internship on the first try, and you certainly don’t need to have everything figured out by graduation. Start with the resources available to you, put yourself out there and don’t be afraid to take a chance on an opportunity that excites you.
Your future self will thank you for starting today. Now close the scrolling app, open Handshake and go find THAT internship. You’ve got this, ladies!