Once upon a time, summer used to be the most exciting months of the year filled with pool days and sunshine, where plans could be made day-of and one’s career seemed so far in the future. Now that we are in college, that definition of summer has changed; instead, the warmest months of the year have become a time to further our career goals through an internship.
While daunting, internships provide individuals with unique experiences to dive deeper into what their future could look like, and potentially help secure a job post-grad along the way. As someone who is in her own sort of soul-searching to determine which career is right for her, I have completed both paid and unpaid internships over the past few years and am here to give you some advice on how to land them on your own.
1. Use your connections to their full potential.
This should be obvious, but it is way more intimidating than people realize! And I get it. It can be hard to go up to someone you don’t know super well to ask them for help figuring out the rest of your life. However, you must remember that not so long ago, they were in your exact spot. It is so important to use your community to your advantage. Everyone else is anyway!
Say you want to become an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, but the only person in your family who went to law school is your dad’s cousin, a public defender in Maryland. You should still reach out to this family member because chances are, they went to law school with peers who ended up all over the world, and they might be able to connect you to someone who could invite you to shadow them over the summer!
An easy way to approach this conversation is to ask this individual about setting up a time for a coffee chat or informational interview. During this time, you can ask them a set of prepared questions about their job (it can help to find inspiration using ChatGPT) and at the very least, come out of the conversation knowing more about their career. Two important questions to include at the end of your talk are (1) “Are there one or two people you think I should reach out to next?” and (2) “Are there any internship opportunities within your company that I could apply for?” Make sure to follow up and know that your initiative does not go unappreciated.
2. If you never ask, the answer is always no.
This is a good theme to have throughout your life, but it is especially important when it comes to securing internships. If there is a brand that you religiously use in your everyday life or have always looked up to, what is the harm in reaching out to them? You can do so by sending an email expressing your interest in the company and clearly asking them if they offer internship opportunities.
Or, after applying to an internship, you can show this interest by reaching out after your application is complete, ensuring that they received your information, and following up to see if there is anything else they require from you. Through these extra actions, companies can fully realize your interest. If possible, following up in person is even better!
It is so much easier for companies to assess your application after they have seen your face or heard a little more about why you specifically want to work for them. From my personal experience, I have gotten both of my most impressive internships through following up repeatedly and simply just throwing my hat in the ring. Make sure that when you are applying to always put your best application forward so you give every opportunity its best shot. You never know which application will be your “golden ticket.”
3. Use UCSB Career Services.
At UCSB, we are so lucky to have such a robust Career Services department on campus. For those who are not familiar with this program, it is located in the same building as CAPS, which is between the HSSB and South Hall. The staff is open to drop-ins, and you can book an appointment in advance. There is also information on their website specifically for internship help! I remember going to Career Services my freshman year and getting a full walk-through of how Handshake works and how to tailor my internship-seeking experience to my interests. It is really helpful to get more professional help through this resource, and it is important that we take advantage of what UCSB is providing us.
In all, remember that the I-word doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. While it is daunting to land the “perfect” internship, remember that every experience is important for shaping your future. I always believe there is no harm in putting yourself out there, as long as you are giving it your best shot. Good luck!