Internships. The necessary prerequisites for most jobs however are more a lot trickier to land than said.
Over the past decade, the internship market has drastically changed. Instead of being hired to do the grunt work of the office, now interns have the opportunity to gain valuable work experience that may even land them a potential job.
But where does one find an internship? Finding a position that is tailored to what you are looking for isn’t always easy. Factors could include whether it is paid or unpaid, location, responsibilities or even coworkers. Sometimes when searching for an internship, it can become stressful and discouraging.
Trust me, I know.
With midterm season over and summer quickly approaching, I began my hunt for the perfect internship like any other college student. I submitted a number of resumes and cover letters to the top workplaces on my list and anxiously waited to hear back from them.
But after several weeks of checking emails and voicemails, I barely received any responses to my applications. While others were sharing their new jobs, I was still waiting for mine.
It was hard trying to figure out what the issue could be for this. With already completing several internships I thought this gave me a competitive edge over other applicants. It never occurred to me that I was under qualified or over qualified -- besides, how could that be a bad thing?. Or maybe having a lot of experience made me set my internship expectations too high creating an ego for myself.
It’s hard to be confident when it seems like nothing is going your way, especially when it always had. Maybe the issue was that my experience had always been based on luck. Since high school, I had been fortune enough to be hired for internships through word of mouth rather than employers weighing the fact whether I am qualified or not.
I am an impatient person. I am also the person who always likes to have a plan, and with these two things combined it has made this internship process affect my overall confidence.
But that’s what I and you need to remind yourself when looking for a summer internship, it’s a process. While some can be the luck of a draw, most need to realize that your dream job will not appear to you immediately. You need to wait.
But waiting does not have to be checking emails and voicemails; it can be performing more productive activities such as:
1. Attending networking events.
These are the perfect settings to dress the part and connect with professionals. Ask them questions about your field or even have them look over your resume. Networking events are a lot less intimidating than you think. Professionals are there because they want to be and help young college students succeed in their area of interest.
2. Setting up an appointment in the career center.
There are so many great resources in your university's career center. They can help you specifically identify any areas you may find troubling in the career process such as interviewing techniques, cover letter tips and more. You're paying for this amazing service already with your tuition, might as well take advantage of it!
3. Utilizing social networks.
Research and follow any potential workplaces on social networks to learn more about them. You'll be able to keep up to date with any on going news within their company and have a sense of what the work atmosphere can potentially be like. You can even connect with employers you've interviewed with on LinkedIn to easily stay in touch.
4. Creating or updating your online portfolio.
This is your opportunity to expand your resume. Creating your own website will allow employers to view you from a professional standpoint. Give a description of yourself and go more in depth about any relevant experience you've completed that may be valuable to your next job. Include writing samples, recommendations and be a stand out in applicant pool.
5. Conducting informational interviews.
What's that you may ask? It's similar to a job interview however you are seeking for guidance, not employment. An informational interview is a meeting where a potential job seeker seeks for advice from an employed professional and ask advice on their career or their industry of interest. Speak with them on the telephone or even offer to take them out to coffee. Rarely professionals are opposed to meeting with you. As a follow up question, ask about any potential internships they may offer. If there aren't any, give them your resume anyways and tell them to keep you in mind for future job openings.
It may be hard to remain calm in situations like these, but remember that’s it’s a process and searching for an internship takes time. Regardless of the outcome, at least you can still make yourself a more attractive job candidate after your search. Never believe there are not enough options out there, because there are. Be positive, be proactive and be the best you can be.
