When I first starting looking for an internship back in December I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was looking for something in event planning and thought why not intern for one of the best wedding planners in town? That seemed to make the most sense, right?
After landing –what I thought was my dream internship–with a wedding planner I had a few months to think about it. I continued looking through my college’s career services website and slowly started to realize that I wanted to spend my summer doing something completely different. So I did.
Getting your ideal internship is by no means an easy task! Thank god, my internship search is finally over; I can only imagine how challenging it will be to find a full time job! As you look for internships this Fall, here are 5 tips to make the search easier:
1. Network, network, network
Creating relationships is probably the single most important thing you can do when looking for that dream internship. I have learned that in most industries it is all about whom you know, rather than what you know. Believe me, I know it is awkward, but attend those career fairs. Also, building relationships with my professors has also helped me; after all they know the industry like the back of their hand.
2. Learn how to sell yourself
I like to call this the car salesman approach to getting a job. When it comes time to interview you have to know how to sell yourself to an employer; you are always your biggest cheerleader. Be confident in your abilities, but also know your weaknesses. You may not be the most qualified candidate, but I promise if you show up confident in your skill set, it will make all the difference.
3. Come prepared
AKA do your research! In some cases, landing the interview may be the hardest part. So, no pressure: don’t screw it up. Always spend time researching the company before you set foot in their office. You need to know what they do and who they work with on a daily basis. It is important to know the background of the company so that you can tailor your strengths and weaknesses to fit what they are looking for. Just fyi, you should never walk into an interview and not know who the CEO is. That’s just flat out embarrassing!
4. Know all of your options
You want to get the most out of your internship, so don’t settle. Like I said before, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and I was wrong. You don’t have to take the first thing that comes along. Finding an internship is like landing a husband; you don’t just pick the first one you see. Do the necessary research to figure out what avenue you want to take.
5. Dress to impress
Stand out, while blending in. Say what? I know it sounds confusing. Dressing for an interview is always a dilemma especially for women. Sometimes we think people will judge us only for what we say but let’s face it, everyone notices what you wear too. Always dress up, never down for an interview. What I mean is you may think that employees at the company are wearing jeans and a t-shirt to work, but that is not how you should dress for the interview!
Landing the perfect internship is on every college student’s mind. We are constantly trying to figure out where we are going next in life and if you are anything like me it’s hard to be patient. Remember that this stuff doesn’t happen over night. While searching for an internship might be painful and tedious, I can honestly say it is worth it. Once you land the perfect one, it will really solidify if the industry is right for you. It is better to learn this during college, rather than, after you have started your career.
So remember: figure out exactly what you want to do, weigh your options and of course don’t settle for anything less than fantastic!
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