(photo courtesy of Jopwell Collection)
If one thing can be said, it’s that college students know how frustrating it is to search for internships and job opportunities. You’re already focused on school, work, extracurricular activities— and now add being anxious about what comes after college… It’s a vicious cycle.
While some of us don’t know how to even begin to look at the seemingly endless jobs and internships opportunities out there, even the most career-driven students sometimes fall short of getting real-world experience while still in college. Through my own personal research, I’ve gathered these tips and tricks from other college students that have had successful results.
- Keep a spreadsheet of each position you apply for. Some companies can hold resumes for up to six months! So, when potential employers call you back, you’ll have some background on who you’re speaking with and not be clueless when they call. Headers on the spreadsheet should include date, where you applied, contact information of recruiter, position you applied for, and notes (see below). I find it best to keep your spreadsheet in everyday devices like your daily planner, cell phone or laptop.
Date
Company
Contact (phone and title)
Position (with begin and end date of internship)
Notes (comments about the position, job requirements, and special comments from contact you spoke with)
- Use LinkedIn instead of just hitting “apply for an internship.” This platform is perfect for direct messaging employers in your specified area of interest. During your initial conversation ask questions about their position in the company, advice, for achieving your career goal, and any concerns you might have. Don’t forget your salutations and email etiquette, either! Make sure you sell yourself by mentioning your school, year, current GPA if over 3.0, what you’re learning in school, how you want to apply for the internship in the industry, or how you may already be doing so on your college campus. This will not only force you to prepare and have your initial questions answered, but they might just be impressed enough to ask you for an interview, for you to shadow them, hire you for a full internship, or even refer you to someone else looking for an intern! Professionals have been in your spot at some point and like to see students take that extra step to reach out. This shows them your ambition and dedication to your career.
- Check in at your Career Center once a week. Employers come to campuses and you need to be ready for them. Preparation is key, along with a great first impression. Nothing’s better than doing your research ahead of time. Career fairs are meant for you to leave with interviews scheduled and connections made.
- Join an honor society or fraternity/sorority. They have an abundance of networks in all career fields. Some Greek organizations are exclusively major/academic based, which opens up great opportunities to build your career.
- Use Glassdoor.com before applying to a position. It’s a website where current and former employees anonymously, give honest reviews of the company and its operations. On their website, you can also find a review of the interview process. In addition, it gives you the pros and cons from the perspective of past and present employees hired at the company. They also offer another time management tools for your process.
Internships are in arms reach. It’s just learning how to navigate the fog of the exploration, that seems to be the toughest part. As your time in college is coming to a close this is the time where you should be celebrating your accomplishments looking towards a brighter future. The successful use of this guide will ensure that you have one less thing to worry about and one more thing to add to your list of accomplishments.