THE INTERNSHIP HUNT NO ONE TALKS ABOUT

I am going on my second spring of casting a wide net, applying to any internship remotely tied to my field. If I see any keyword that overlaps with my studies, I’m sending in an application. It’s been months of non-stop applying, and I am feeling drained, frustrated, and completely disheartened.  

The most discouraging part? I’ve applied to numerous internships, and there were a number of times I never received a response, not even a rejection email. No confirmation. No timeline. Nothing. It’s like throwing your resume down a black hole. This is one of the most humiliating processes I’ve ever encountered. Additionally, not taking things personally becomes more difficult over time. It wears you down to put in so much work, revising your resume for every position, tailoring cover letters, researching every company, and getting no answer at all. When I feel like no one is even listening, it’s like I’m shouting into thin air, and maintaining motivation becomes a daily struggle.

In high school, they sell to you that good grades and involvement in your community will provide you with opportunities. But in reality, this is not enough! The pipeline from student to intern to career is not nearly as easy as it seems. 

The fact that connections seem to be crucial to the process just serves to heighten this frustration. The number of peers I know who got handed internships from knowing someone, whether it was a parent’s coworker, a distant relative, or a family friend. When you have access like that, things happen fast. But for someone like me, who is attempting to succeed on my own merit and doesn’t want to rely on others, it seems unachievable. Being grandfathered into a job is not something I want. The fact that I desire to earn it rather than be handed it shouldn’t be viewed as an impossibility. It doesn’t seem like this system was designed for individuals who wish to start from scratch and create something for themselves. And that’s what my goal is. For me, this is so much more than just checking off a box on my resume, which makes it that much more alienating. I’ve worked hard to build a future that is based on my abilities rather than who I know. This is the first step in that direction.

All I’m really asking for is a chance. An equal opportunity to demonstrate that my energy, perseverance, and enthusiasm are good enough – that I am good enough. Handouts and shortcuts are not what I’m searching for. I want a chance to develop, learn, and take the first concrete step toward a career that I have been dreaming about for years, and that I’ve already invested a lot of time and energy into.

Even if I may not be the type of person the system was designed for, I continue to apply, show up, and have hope. And I’m not going to let this process break me, despite how exhausting it is. Because even though no one has noticed my potential, I am aware of it.