Applying to internships is stressful and time-consuming. It takes effort to find open positions, apply to them, and then be resilient in the face of rejection (or, in the face of no response at all)! It is often overwhelming and feels unnecessarily high-stakes. Whether you have an internship or not, depending on your major, can feel like a measurement of your success and preparedness for the real world. Not to be cliche, but it’s true that “everyone has a different path”.
Despite having great internship experiences, the internship search process was messy, frustrating, and stressful for me. Here are some tips, based on my experience applying to marketing internships using LinkedIn and Handshake, that I wish someone had told me before I began:
- Apply to positions shortly after they are posted
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I really wish someone had told me to stop applying to jobs that had been posted for a month or more, especially if they are only hiring one candidate: at this point, the company is most likely done reviewing applications. In fact, many companies take a long time to remove their job postings from the internet. I started hearing back from companies much more often when I began applying within a few days after a position posting. So, in my opinion, you shouldn’t waste your time applying to jobs that have been open for 3 weeks or more unless you are confident that they may still have a spot open.
- Prepare smartly for interviews
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To stand out in an interview, you’ll need to read the job posting carefully to extract what the hiring manager is looking for in a candidate: Attention to detail? Leadership? Communication skills? Teamwork? Passion for x industry? Then, you need to figure out how you can demonstrate that you have these skills. I recommend preparing STAR responses that convey how your strengths, stories, and/or experiences make you a rockstar candidate for the position at hand. Don’t forget to smile and try to connect with your interviewer — they are a person too, and (hopefully) are rooting for you!
- Don’t skip cover letters!
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Cover letters make a big difference. They are a green flag for employers because they demonstrate interest in the position. See cover letters as an opportunity to tell a story — “Here’s what I’ve done, what I’ve learned, and here’s how it’ll be relevant to this position specifically”. If you don’t know where to start, try doing some research or turning to a friend or family member for help.
- Grill the interviewer, too
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This is huge! Prepare as many questions as you can, and write them down. You shouldn’t have to memorize each one, and having a list at hand can help you focus on the interviewer’s response rather than worry about what you’ll ask next. You can ask for clarity on elements of the job posting, ask about the interviewer’s experience at the company, or ask about how you can help contribute to long-term or short-term company goals. Don’t be afraid to put them on the hot seat!
- TAKE REJECTION IN STRIDE
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Ah yes, rejection. I’ve received plenty of rejection emails, but even more often, I didn’t even hear back from a job I applied for. This is normal, and totally okay. It can be helpful for you (and a very mature move) to ask for feedback if you’ve received a rejection. Nobody is perfect, and not every interview is going to go great. Rejection can hurt, but try to learn from each one. And keep in mind that you can reject a company too — not everywhere will be a good fit or align with your career goals.
- ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO FIND AN INTERNSHIP
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Really, it’s not! Last spring, I was abroad and was not very proactive during my internship search process. Suddenly, it was late April, and I hadn’t been hired despite having an internship the summer prior. I thought I was doomed. But, I ended up getting an offer from a clean-tech company called Uplight as a marketing intern. I learned so much about marketing strategy and the energy industry, contributed to impactful marketing collateral, and forged strong connections with my team. I genuinely loved it there, and I got the position in early May. Anything is possible!
If you are pursuing an internship (which, if you’ve made it this far, you probably are), remember that an internship experience, or lack of one, is not a measurement of your future success. Good luck!
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