You’ve heard all your upperclassmen friends talk about the stress, the sweating and the sleeplessness, and now that it’s spring semester, it’s your turn… it’s time for the internship search.
As a freshman – or even just as someone who’s never had time for an internship before – it can be daunting to try to find an internship when you’ve barely just chosen a major and are still revising what you want to do. You know you need an internship – everyone from the career counselors to your favorite blog says so – but how do you actually find one?
In a comprehensive (ish) guide, here’s how to land that first internship, which, of course, will open all the right doors in your career and eventually make you a super successful millionaire. Or so I hear.
1. Don’t panic – you can do this.
You suddenly hear all this talk about how an internship is the first step toward finding a job one day. Even if you think you’ve started too late, don’t have enough direction, or have no clue how to apply, allow me to say that I am 100% sure you’ll be able to find a helpful internship.
If you aren’t quite sure what you want to do or are still deciding on a major, searching for internships that focus on passions of yours can still provide you with valuable experience, actual time spent in an office, and a good reference come next application cycle. Plus, and this is the most important, you’ll get to spend time doing what you love.
A few years down the road, if your first internship has nothing to do with the major or career path you have chosen, having diverse experience can actually set you apart in the hiring process. You may have picked a job in IT or mathematics, but everyone is going to remember the girl who can also create amazing graphic designs.
If you’re starting to feel the pressure as months go by, remember that a lot of majors have different application cycles. Your film major friend may not have an internship yet, even if your engineering friend does. Different industries have different up and down times, and this can impact when they put out internship calls. Typically, the break between fall and spring semesters is a common time for students to start applying for internships, but some deadlines may not be until late spring.
2. Know your resources.
It seems like everyone is throwing the word “internship” at you, and you have literally no clue where to begin. A good first step is to visit your school’s career center, and make sure your resume and grades are in good shape for applying. The career center can also prepare you with mock interviews or talk with you to figure out some potential application paths.
Secondly, see if there’s an internship department within your major’s department. Since most undergraduates complete internships for school credit rather than pay, most schools have at least some resources dedicated to organizing and tracking those internships – and potential ones you can apply for.
You know all those emails in your inbox about alumni dinners or speeches? If there’s an alumnus who’s in the field you’re interested in, then don’t be afraid to reach out – and actually attend those alumni networking dinners!
Alumni – or even friends who’ve had internships you’re interested in – are usually happy to provide advice as well, and can give you some great tips on what the application process is like.
If you don’t have friends in your major yet or are too worried to talk to alumni, there are online resources, too. Decide if you want your internship to be in the summer (the most common) or while you’re also taking classes during the semester.
From indeed.com to Her Campus’s Job & Internship Board and Internship Guide, the web has resources all over the place for you to start your internship search. Usually, there are filters on search websites that allow you to select the type of internship, key words, location, and other things to narrow down your guide; there’s no need to sift through every communications, marketing or education internship in every state. A lot of these websites can provide links directly to the internship application and/or webpage, so you don’t need to spend half an hour tracking it down yourself.
3. Get everything into shape.
If you had a rough beginning semester or your GPA just isn’t where you want it to be, think of the spring semester as a time to get everything into tip-top shape before you start your applications; yes, I did just say “tip-top shape,” and yes, someone has actually given me an internship in writing.
If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, then now’s a really good time to start. LinkedIn profiles are free to make, and this is a place to put that campus job, lead in the theater production and knowledge of three languages to work. Even if you haven’t joined any clubs yet, any job experience you have could be useful and provide you (just like internships) with a set of skills that you can take to future positions.
Not only does LinkedIn allow you to connect with professionals in your industry, it also allows you to be prepared when an interviewer asks, “Okay great, do you have a LinkedIn profile you can share with me?” Similarly, your own website (Wix is free) looks super professional and can be a great way to show what you’ve been doing in your classes.
If you need to, clean up your social media before you have to put these links on your resume. Post about things going on in the job field you want, or use it to promote your own work that you’ve done.
4. Actually spend time applying for internships.
Once you’ve narrowed down some internships that you may be interested in, you need to actually apply for them. Sometimes the applications may be easy, but other times not so much.
When applying for internships, you want to carefully read the description of what you’re applying for. Don’t apply for something in a field you have zero interest in, and definitely don’t accept an internship out of desperation or panic, no matter how badly you think you may need one.
That being said – don’t be afraid to branch out in your search! If you’ve just switched your major or aren’t clear on what you want to do yet, it can be really beneficial to acquire skills in a position that looks close to what you were hoping for; this experience can even help you figure out exactly what you want to do.
As with those college applications you filled out, you need to be serious when applying for internships and spend time searching and applying for what you want. You can’t get an internship if you never apply for one, and the search can be competitive. Trying to figure out what you want ahead of time can give you a buffer window so you have time to apply other places if one falls flat.
5. Finally, remember your manners.
Be a good person. Send follow up emails thanking your interviewers, dress appropriately, speak clearly, don’t be late, and try not to use the word “like” even if it’s ingrained in your head.
And remember, if you forget to mention something important in an interview, you’ve likely put it on your resume or in your LinkedIn profile, so the interviewer will see it.
Good luck with internship applications, collegiettes!