Tips for College Students Finding Applying for Internships

Getting an internship is all part of the college experience. College is a place where you can explore a range of academic interests and get the opportunity to get some hands on experience to figure out which career path to take. Some students take on jobs and internships during the school year, but most try to dedicate their summers to a 2-3 month experience to boost their resumes. With summer approaching, if you’re still looking, here are some tips for college students who are looking for and applying for internships: 1. Update your profiles on job sites! If you don’t already, you should create your LinkedIn, Angelist and WayUp profiles. Even if you don’t yet have experience, it’s helpful for you to have your LinkedIn and Angelist profile ready with your education background and career interests. You’re able to showcase the courses you’ve taken in college that is related to what you would like to do in your career. Additionally, you’ll also be able to indicate you’re actively looking for an internship, so companies looking for interns can match up with you! 2. Be on the hunt for new job postings. Don’t rely on the job sites to do all the work for you. While it’s helpful to get recommended job matches, you need to take responsibility for your own internship hunt. Filter by the type of internship you want or in the field you want it in. Create a spreadsheet with all the jobs you’re interested in applying to, so you can keep track and follow up with the appropriate contact. LinkedIn, Angelist and WayUp are great job hunting sites, but there are others like Internships.com and Indeed you can check out too! 3. Familiarize yourself with the career center. It’s easy to go straight to online resources since there are so many job sites out there for college students to access, but don’t forget about your college’s career center! They, too, have a lot of resources and connections that might be helpful to you. They host interview tips, resume editing sessions, and more to help students to secure an internship over the summer. Similarly, don’t forget to also check out your university’s job posting site. This is an advantage of being a college student. If employers are posting on your university’s career site, that means they are looking for students at your school. Don’t miss out on those opportunities! 4. Let your advisor know. Develop a relationship with your academic advisor. If you haven’t chosen a major yet, this will likely just be your dean. While your dean can be a great mentor to you, your major academic advisor can really point you in the right direction. As a professor in the department you’re studying in, your professor would really be able to offer career path suggestions for you to take! Plus, your professor might be able to connect you with someone who is looking for interns. 5. Perfect your cover letter. Once you start finding internships that interest you, put together your cover letter. For those of you who don’t have much professional experience yet, don’t fret! You have other forms of experiences. Whether it’s in a student organization you’re involved in or through volunteering, you can showcase your strengths. More importantly, highlight your desire to learn on the job and how you’d go about doing that. If you already have some experience, don’t make the mistake of regurgitating what is already on your resume. Use your cover letter to expand on things you may have mentioned as a short bullet point to demonstrate your abilities. And, make sure to highlight relevant skills that are pertinent to the job you’re applying to. Here’s an article to help you with your cover letter. 6. Prepare for your interview! Interviews sound scary, but they are really not as bad as you make it out to be in your head. Having said that, make sure you prepare for your interview beforehand and arrive ready. Run through your resume. What are some examples that you can share that demonstrate the points you’ve made on it? What are some of your strengths and how would you explain that? What are some weaknesses? What do you want to take away from your internship? And finally, how can you add value to the company? Prepare your interview questions! On the day of your interview, have a printed version of your resume handy, and bring a notebook and pen so you can jot down notes during your interview. If you’re doing a phone/Skype interview, you should still dress up! It will help you feel more professional. Good luck finding a summer internship! Need more tips? Here are more tips on landing your dream internship. While you wait to hear back from your last job interview, share your college application journey with us and help others who are interested in your school better understand the application process. Plus, get paid while you’re at it. What are you waiting for? Create your college profile now!