First things first, you need motivation so here it is. Internships don’t magically appear on your Facebook newsfeed or pop up on your phone as an iMessage. You need to get off your lazy bum and find one yourself. Don’t you want to be the one who can post on Facebook and brag to all your friends? “I’m happy to announce that I’ve accepted a internship. I’m so honored for this opportunity…” Blah blah, woof woof.
I hope that hit you in the soft spot, because the next step is to flip through your computer files and find that untouched, rough copy of your resume. Time to fix it up to perfection and start your search. If you need some help, give your mom a call. Many, many moons ago she was once your age and went through the same stress!
Is your mom ignoring your calls? Do you need a different helpline? Try looking around campus. The place that gave you your education can also help you blossom into a real life adult. Try visiting places like the Writing Center or Career Services. It’s their job to help you finish your resume and find the perfect internship.
So lets start the search. There are so many websites out there that can help you, but let’s keep it simple and start with one, LinkedIn. It’s the new social media site that attracts curious, future employers. Nowadays employers can and will find everything you post online, but LinkedIn is made for this. Post everything that makes you great on your LinkedIn page and wait for the site to work its magic.
Make sure to set all your personal accounts to private. Like I said, employers will see what you post online. They don’t want to see your collection of empty alcohol bottles decorating your house. Keep your partying to yourself. Your chances will go down the toilet, just like the meal you puked up Sunday morning.
Once you think your online self is better than your real self, you’re ready for some research. Of course you don’t know exactly what you want to do in life. Who does? Limit yourself to some keywords and give the Google a try. Try googling “summer internships.” Websites like internships.com, indeed.com and simplyhired.com are worth the extra click.
Don’t just apply to one. Apply to as many as you’d like, tweaking your resume to fit the jobs description. Its not cheating, its winning. This is a competition and you have to be the best to win.
Whatever you decide on, you better get paid right? Well no. It’s hard to find the absolute perfect job, but how would you know if it’s perfect or not. Although money keeps you alive, internships are about the experience. If you don’t try, you’ll never learn.
Now for the hard part, you must wait. It’s not just a wait for your turn at the ATM or a wait for the traffic light to turn green. It’s a wait for the most important thing in your early adult life. Although you’re waiting for a yes, it feels like your expecting a million dollars to come in the mail. When you finally get the call, do your happy dance because your finally “adulting.”