Everyone in college, recent graduates, and even some adults are searching for internships. So, with all that competition how do you make yourself stand out? Whether it be your dream internship at your dream job or a start-up company you're not sure about, there are some tried and true ways to make yourself stand out.
Make your LinkedIn as accurate as possible.
LinkedIn has become one of the premier ways to display experience, accomplishment, and personality. Posting about your experiences and accomplishments on your feed is a great way for all your connections to see what you've been up to. Not to mention updating your bio or profile photo to fit the job or internship you are applying for is a good idea. An example of this is a story I heard while at an advertising agency; this man was applying for a job and found the talent scout on LinkedIn and noticed his profile photo was him in a Buccaneers jersey, so this man changed his profile photo to him in a Buccaneers jersey- believe it or not, the talent scout brought him in to interview because he saw they had similar interests. Putting your personality onto your LinkedIn is an asset because employer does not just want a robot employee, they want people with hobbies and a personality to match their company.
Connections.
Having connections is a great way to show involvement, and can help you get an internship. When employers or scouts look at your profile and see you are connected with a friend of theirs or another employer they are in contact with, they will reach out and ask about you. That connection will tell them how great you are, or may even tell them you wouldn't fit in at their company. This sounds awful but will work out in the long run because you won't be working somewhere you don't fit in. Additionally, having more connections on LinkedIn shows that you are personable and invested in an overall community.
Reach out.
Reaching out is an amazing way to stick out from the crowd. Sending a video of yourself to the talent scout or employer is a great way to let them see your face, to see your personality, and it shows your dedication. I would not recommend you sending a video saying that you saw on their Facebook or LinkedIn that they like the Yankees, but I do recommend putting a face to the application. Another great way to stick out is to send the scout one of the projects you are working on and ask them if they have any recommendations or comments. This shows you are collaborative, dedicated, and it shows off your work in a different way than the application process.
Resume and cover letter.
Adjust your cover letter and resume as needed. Your cover letter should always be directed toward the internship or job you are applying for, but did you ever think about your resume? This is something to think about when looking at companies, for example- are they creative or old school? If you are applying to the creative job, make sure your resume is creative and reflects who you are, even if you just put your name in a creative font. A great site to make a resume that is free and easy is canva.com! Try to stay professional but still get your personality on the page.
Applying for internships is an incredibly stressful and competitive process, so if you want to stand out and increase your chances, use these four tips! Most importantly, whatever happens is meant to happen. If you don't get that dream internship maybe you weren't meant to be there or you should apply for the next session. No matter what, always give your all and things will end up where they need to be.
