If you're anything like me, you have been spending the latter part of fall semester polishing your resume to apply for internships for the summer of 2019. It can be a lot and it is very easy to get overwhelmed by the entire process, but there are ways to minimize the stress as much as possible! As important as it is to hustle and be as productive as possible, none of it will mean everything if you finish the semester burnt out and mentally exhausted. So, here are some tips that have helped me and will hopefully help you stay calm and productive during internship application season!
1. Take regular breaks
You run a much greater chance of burning out if you try and finish your work all at once as opposed to breaking it up. So, schedule your work so that you can take short breaks in between. This will help you keep from getting too tired and zoning out while you're working.
2. Keep a good list
It can seem as though the number of internships to apply to is endless. So, it can be hard to keep track of which internships you've already applied for and when you submitted your application. To fight this disorganization, keep a list of every internship you want to apply to, as well as their due dates. That way, you can check-mark each company after you've applied and keep yourself on track.
3. Get a second pair of eyes for your cover letter
Cover letters are (in my opinion) one of the hardest things to get right for your application. Resumes are fairly straightforward; you tell them what you've done and where you've worked. But for cover letters, it's much more vague. You want to tell them about yourself, but also why you want the job and why you are the best for it. In short, you need to persuade them. But how do you strike the right balance between these things? My tip: get a second opinion. After reading over your cover letter a million times, you might become oblivious to mistakes or things that just don't sound right. So get a friend or colleague to look it over for you so that your cover letter is as strong as possible!
4. Take advantage of your career services office
If your school has a career services office, take advantage of it!!! The staff is there just to help you succeed, and they will be able to offer you quality insight on a variety of things such as resumes, job searches and interview skills. They can be a great help, so see what services your school offers and take them up on it!
5. Keep an open mind
As exciting as applying for internships can be, try to keep an open mind to every opportunity that comes your way. Yes, there might be many fancy internships that you're applying to, but trust that you will find a position that is the perfect fit for you. Internships are a great way for you gain experience and learn about your field at the same time, so keep an open mind and remember that you've got this!
