As an undergraduate freshman, you would think that no one would offer you an internship. It's a fair statement: you are an underclassmen with no real job experiences in the field, an almost empty portfolio, and cannot even pronounce the software many of these companies use let alone be proficient in it. So, you wait until you are an upperclassmen will all those skills. WRONG!
I am proud to say that even as a freshman who has barely even started her major, has an internship in her desired field. I know, hold the applause, I am not a special case and my dad has no connections to place me into things like this. I am your average underclassmen, technically has not started her major requirements, with a strong GPA and some work experience under her belt. But, I still got hired. How? I decided to show some EFFORT.
So many people do not even apply after reading the suggested qualifications for the internship because they do not necessarily meet them. Let's remember what the point of internships are. Internships, by google definition, are formal programs within organizations whose primary purpose is to offer practical work experience in a particular occupation to people who are new to that field.
I think that anyone and everyone can snag an internship at any time in their college career when placing some effort it. So what if you do not have the technical skills and an empty resume? Half of the battle is selling yourself. Showing them through your application that you are willing to learn as much as possible to build your technical and soft skills, to gain work experience and enhance your resume.
As some point, everyone is a rookie. Sometimes, even the underclassmen are as qualified as the upperclassmen in skills depending on the field. Also, just because you do not meet all the qualifications does not mean they automatically throw it in the trash. These people take the time to review every applicant and a kick butt resume definitely improves your chances of getting contacted for an interview.
It never hurts to turn in an application for these internships because the worst they can say is no and then you're back at square one. But you'll never truly get that official no until you take the time to prepare that application, portfolio, resume, etc and send it in. Sometimes, those no's turn into yes's. Hiring managers seem more than willing many times to give someone with no experience, but shows much interest, a willingness to learn, and is able to sell themselves accordingly a chance to interview. Placing in that effort goes a very long way and whose knows? You might have an internship coming yourself.
