As a freshman, I felt confused about my path in life. I did not put effort into my competitive career and felt unguided on how to excel in my career journey. I was stressed that I would never get an internship. My experience never felt good enough.
As a junior, I’ve had four internships, one of which was as a video creator intern at Handshake. Handshake is, in short, a big company. It is a professional networking platform geared towards Gen Z students seeking jobs and connecting with others with similar career interests. This Handshake internship is also the first paid internship I have landed after participating in many unpaid ones. Let me take you through how I got there.
My Journey Before my Internship at handshake
My career journey began in my sophomore year of college, which taught me that while it’s okay to worry about internships when you are a freshman, you should not let it get to your head. Take your freshmen year as a way to explore what the university offers beyond the research you did before applying. Plan your next few years in college: see if this university is where you can see yourself spending many more years, try to make new friends, and attend as many social events as possible.
In this day and age, it may seem challenging to do this, but don’t make your career the only thing you’re looking for in college, and don’t make it your entire life. Go on school field trips and make genuine connections with your professors and others. Courses such as cinematography, editing, and sound design helped me build skills in my career, and working on personal creative projects helped me build my portfolio.
The easiest way to gain experience is through joining clubs related to your career. It is essential to join a club that aligns with your passions, such as a graphic design or film clubs. Here, you will grow valuable skills such as communication, teamwork, and making other art beyond the classroom.
My first internship was for an organization called GenCLEO, where I interned as a social media assistant to make videos about climate organizations and climate topics. In addition to GenCLEO, I gained set experience at UCF’s film club, Lights Camera Action, which gave me skills that I showcased through class projects. I immediately put them in my resume and started to make a portfolio. If you have done any personal work in the past, feel free to add it! Don’t neglect school projects just because you want to do them for completion, especially if that’s the only work you can provide for the application.
After building my portfolio, I was offered two unpaid creative internships. One was as a marketing video assistant at Hebni Nuitrion, and the other was as an online video production manager at Curriculum Resilience, which I learned through Handshake. Unpaid internships can be frustrating, but remember that you are receiving experience, so get the projects done and use them to show that you are qualified for paid internships. Paid internships are difficult to get into because they want to ensure you have enough experience to be paid, so don’t be afraid to start with unpaid ones. Some unpaid ones do not require previous leadership experience, like my internship with Curriculum Resilience, making them great opportunities to learn from scratch.Â
How I Got my Internship at handshake
Simply put, I received a message from one of the employers at Handshake telling me about an internship position titled Handshake Content Creator. I think they sent me the message because I use the app a lot. I am always scrolling to see if there are new positions posted.Â
When going through the application process, always thank the employer or hiring manager for the opportunity, especially if it is exciting! In the application, talk about your experience related to the position you are applying for. If you are applying to be a content creator, you can talk about how much you love to make content for fun on Instagram or TikTok and include a link to your posts, even if you don’t have video creator or content creator internship experience.Â
The application asks you to post a picture of yourself on your Handshake account. Even though it is optional, you should do it, especially if you are applying for a position that requires being on camera! It is the only way to show them you are confident being on camera since you’ll be assigned video prompts to discuss your college and career experience. Make sure to talk about how much you appreciate your college/career journey, how it helped you grow, and how you look forward to helping other students succeed. That’s the kind of student that they are looking for.
Reflection and More Tips
My last tidbit of advice is to learn other creative skills. For example, if you are a graphic design major, perhaps try to learn video editing skills as well. That way, you can stand out as a creative candidate, not specifically for the Handshake internship, but in general.
The creative industry may be competitive, but don’t let that discourage you if it’s truly your dream. Be smart, be ambitious, and stay motivated to create! Your creation could one day change the world.