Internship season is officially upon us, collegiettes! This means you are most likely shooting off countless internship applications into the universe…a task that can be both daunting and frustrating. Here are five faux pas and tips to ensure that your applications are not being overlooked!
*Image from http://community.mis.temple.edu/julesoftheinternworld/
1) The Unpolished Resume – Typos! Typos! Typos! Employers hate typos. Internships often give students the rare opportunity to be reviewed by executives of their respective companies. Therefore, employers want to hire the most conscientious applicants…ones who will not make simple mistakes. A person should read over their resume at least three times and have a friend (or parent!) read it a few times too.
2) The Generic Cover Letter – One in which you forget to change the date, the company’s name or the recipient’s name. Oops! This is a red flag for employers and sends the message that the applicant does not sincerely care about the position. A successful cover letter should be personalized for each internship application. Research the company and tailor the letter to the position. HR can smell B.S. from a mile away!
3) Listing Poor References – Do not list family members as references! Just don’t! Even if an applicant does not have prior managers to list, an employer would rather one to include a more professional reference. In any case, ask a professor or an advisor. They are typically happy to help and after all, are the most familiar with your work ethic.
*Image from Fashionfauxpas
4) Common Clichés – “I’m a team player!” This might be true but a number of career help sites have flagged this common phrase as a hollow attribute. A potential intern should be more descriptive in selling her skills. In addition, labels like “creative” or “dynamic” often come off as filler words. Show, don’t tell! Applicants should give examples of how they have been creative or innovative in prior jobs or activities.
5) Too Focused on Yourself and Not What You Can Do for the Company – The goal of an internship is not solely for an intern to gain experience in their chosen field. It’s also about what they can contribute. The company wants to gain something too. Whether it be fresh and youthful ideas or new strategies to boost social impact, the intern is brought in to help boost the company’s success, not just their own. One should try dedicating at least a solid paragraph of their cover letter to what they can do to make the company better.
For further help, follow “Ask the Career Coach” in our blog section!
Happy internship hunting, collegiettes!