With summer on its way, students interested in participating in an internship(Click here) should begin their search now. Because of the popularity of the season for interning, competition is usually higher during the school break. This year it will likely be even more difficult to find a program due to the fact that everyone is trying to ad an edge to their resumes since the job market isn’t at it’s best. This means that students may have to put more effort that usual into securing a slot in an internship program.
You should start by contacting the career department at your campus in order to find out if any companies have sent out information about their programs. The businesses that do this are actively recruiting interns and often have more than one slot available. Other places to look for leads include advisors, other professors, parents and friends parents and members of social and religious clubs you attend.
After discovering you possibilities, it is a good idea to begin researching the companies you may be applying to. This will give you a good idea about the office place culture of each place and what may be expected of you. This will help you make a more informed decision about which companies to apply to.
Once you’ve done this, you should select somewhere between three to five possibilities. This will help to increase your chances of being selected for a program. Then, before applying, you should return to the career department and have someone there assist you in creating a resume and an appropriate cover letter. If you’ve never had job experience, then volunteer work and course work will likely be listed.
After you have applied to all of the companies you plan to, it is a good idea to begin brushing up on your interviewing skills. Have someone you know help you practice by asking you questions. This will help you get a good idea of how the process will go and help to settle nerves. Take the time to come up with a few ideas as to how you will answer questions about how you’re school experience makes you the best candidate for an internship.
If for some chance you don’t get selected for a summer program, remember that many companies do take on interns during the fall and spring semesters. Since fewer people usually apply for these programs, it is often easier to get accepted, despite a smaller number of positions.
Tags: Internships