How to Prepare For March Madness, And No Not Basketball

March is not only the start of the annual NCAA college basketball tournament, but also the time to start applying for your dream summer internship. You may be saying to yourself, “Summer is still a couple of months away, I have time.” Sadly, you are so mistaken. March is the month where companies are beginning to take applications and are interviewing their potential interns. So you definitely don’t want to miss out.  

Luckily for you, we’re here to help you stay ahead of the game. By following these easy tips, you can make sure you’ll make the most out of your summer by finding and landing the perfect internship.

1. Create a Resume

First impressions count, and the first impression an employer will have with you is through your resume. Employers are looking to see what responsibilities and achievements you have had at the previous companies you worked for. If you haven’t had a job yet, but are involved in a college club or sport, don’t be disheartened, these extracurriculars are just as valuable as past employments. You earn valuable skills through clubs and sports, so don’t be afraid to add that to your resume.  

“Everyone should have their resume edited a couple of times” recommended Carol Tyson, a third-year student at SUNY New Paltz who is currently interning at Townsquare Media.  “It will definitely make a huge change.”

Tip: The right words could change everything. By using these action verbs, you can put a spin on your qualifications. For example, instead of writing that you mentored at a school you could improve it with action verbs by saying, “Provided academic support for at-risk students through….”   

2. Create a Cover Letter

Your cover letter is meant to introduce you and your resume to the prospective employer. Make sure to state the position that you are seeking, and explain how your particular mix of skills and experiences will meet the company’s needs. Your cover letter will stand out if you employ some creativity. So show how passionate you are about that field by professionally addressing how you not only meet the employer’s needs but also how you can go above and beyond in their company.

Laura Berger, the Chief Executive Officer of InternQueen.com, recently stated in her latest vlog that the cover letter is meant to make the employer feel special. “In the cover letter you need to include relevant information that is specific to the position you are applying for.” So if you know that you will be applying to several internships, make sure you tailor each one for the specific organization.

3. Take Advantage of the Career Resource Center

Applying for internships can be intimidating, especially when you are unsure of what you are doing. By visiting the Career Resource Center not only can get help with your resume, cover letter and linkedin account, but you could prepare yourself for the interview.

If you don’t know how to start your resume or cover letter, the Career Resource Center can provide you with sample formats. Once you create your resume letter, someone in the office will look through the documents with you and give you helpful tips on how to improve it. It’s okay to have your resume and cover letter edited numerous times. The point of it all is to perfect it so that you can get a call back from your employer. So make sure to take advantage of the beneficial resources that you are provided with.  

4. Apply, Apply, Apply!

You have nothing to lose by applying to several internships. In fact you are increasing your chances of landing a summer internship!  

5. Before The Interview

If you get a call back and set your interview date, make sure to practice for the interview. The Career Resource Center helps you prepare for interviews by hosting a mock interview where they will record it, and provide you with constructive criticism to improve your interviewing skills. By practicing for the interviewing, not only are you improving the methods of presenting your skill set but you are also boosting your confidence.  

The day before the internship, you should have your outfit ready so that in the morning you won’t drive yourself crazy putting a professional outfit together. (Tip: Dress for the job you want.) By planning out the perfect outfit the night before, not only are you going to look more stylish and feel more confident because you’ll know ahead of time how your outfit will look, but it will allow you to be out the door on time.

But what is ‘on time’ for an interview? Well according to a study conducted by Business Insider, the ideal time to show up to a job interview is 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled meeting time. So, make sure to plan out what time to be out of the house in order to get to the interview on time because you definitely do not want to arrive late.   

6. During The Interview

Going into an interview can be nerve-racking even when you have nailed the mock interview after the umpteenth try. However, you can magically refine how you feel with the simple change of your body posture.   

Amy Cuddy, a Social Pyschologist and Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, presented an extraordinary study on body language in a 2012 TedTalk. She believes that your body can shape your mind and your life in significant way. Cuddy suggests that before a job interview you should find two minutes to create high power poses in the bathroom.  

“It’s not about the content of the speech. It’s about the presence that they’re bringing to the speech,” she explained on her thoughts of job interviews. By creating high power poses before an interview, as pictured below, you can almost guarantee a boost of confidence for the interview. “Fake it till you become it.”   

http://www.thexclass.com/ted-talk-tuesday-quick-posture-fix-equals-confi…

7. After The Interview

An essential part of preparing for the interview is researching the company and the interviewer.  Doing due diligence on a company and the interviewer is also a great way to come up with questions for your interviewer. So instead of politely shaking your head “no” stand out from other candidates by coming prepared with some questions like “What are some key qualities that you see in most successful interns?” Not only does a question like this give you an insight on how to stand out in the job, but it also allows provides you with qualities that you can state in your next interview.  

If you just finished your interview for your dream internship and want to increase your chances of landing the job, then Business Insider’s Managing Editor, Jessica Liebman,  suggests sending a Thank You Email or letter. The Thank You email should thank the interviewer for their time, highlight the best part of the interview and remind them why you were made for the job. Not only will this make you stand out from other candidates but it will also prove to the employer that you really want the job.

The Her Campus New Paltz chapter would like to wish everyone the best of luck during their internship hunt!

• cover letter
• internships
• interview
• resume