I’m sure you’re at the point in the year where you’re just another college kid trying to find that amazing internship. Let’s be honest, that sounds terribly unappealing. Internships can seem like they are hard to find, especially if you are really trying to find one that would give you valuable work experience.
To reduce the stress, you have to take it one step at a time. It’s all about getting started. Once you’ve started doing your research, you’ll feel much better about how to move through the process.
Step 1: Start
There are two ways you could go about this. First, you can set up an appointment with an advisor from the Career Center on campus by calling, or even setting an appointment up online. They’ll be able to give you resources tailored to your internship preferences and can help you with resumes and cover letters.
If you feel bombarded with finals, or are at the point where even just making the appointment would cause you a lot of stress, then, start here:
Media/Editorial Specific:
The Her Campus Internship and Job Board
More General:
Step 2: Prepare your Resume and Cover Letter
It is important that you have your resume ready and up to date at all times incase there are jobs that you find and need to apply for ASAP.
Cover letters, on the other hand, can be trickier. It is important to make cover letters job specific, so that employers know that you are dedicated to that particular company’s application.
Make sure that both your cover letter and resume are looked over each by a few people. It is important that both have proper formatting and are free of typos and grammatical errors.
If you need help on either your resume or cover letter, the career center offers workshops for both. They also have peer editors and counselors who are able to help you write and edit. Or, you can use their online resource, which gives great advice on resumes and cover letters.
Step 3: Post-Application
There are quite a few things that can happen after applying for the internship. Best-case scenario, you get an interview and get the job. However, you might also get an interview and not get the job, or not get an interview at all.
When you start to get offers for interviews, make sure you are practicing mock interviews with other people. It’s different when you are answering questions versus just practicing in your head. Know what you will talk about beforehand, and make sure your answers are versatile.
If possible, find someone who has applied to a similar position in the past. They might have good advice on the types of questions that will be asked, and can help you practice. Searching online for commonly asked interview questions is always helpful as well.
If you don’t get a particular job or interview, don’t take it personally. It’s important that finding the right internship is mutual, and rejection will only help you come closer to finding one that’s best for you.
Photo Credits:
Anne Hathaway Image:
https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/JOJs6hs5VfH4yaPS6uePjZE…