Internships are a great way to gain professional experience in the field of your choice. No matter what your major is, there are opportunities in everything from accounting to pre-med to music. In this economy, it is more important than ever to get internships to improve your chances at getting a job upon graduation. Jocelyn Coalter of the Career Development Center (CDC) shares several tips on how to land an internship.
1. Make a Meeting with the CDC
Not sure where to start? Try making a meeting with the CDC. They are here to help guide you through the entire internship/job search and application process. Coalter suggests scheduling an appointment during your first semester on campus for advice and to learn about what opportunities are available to you.
Even if you are nowhere near declaring a major, Coalter says, “You have to remember that you are putting yourself up against students at other universities who have already had at least one internship between their freshman and sophomore years.” Most Yeshiva University students spend a year or two in Israel and therefore enter college as sophomores.
When you apply for an internship, the hiring manager is more likely to choose the applicant with more experience, and other college students have already had an extra year to gain experience. That means you have to make the decision if you are going to go back to work at summer camp the summer of your sophomore year or choose that internship at your cousin’s law firm.
2. Research
Don’t be discouraged if you feel there are no opportunities for you. The CDC’s website lists multiple resources to help students find out what types of internships are available. Search according to major, area of interest, or just to see what’s out there.
3. Resume Rescue
It goes without saying that you need a resume to apply for any position. Meet with the CDC to ensure that yours is free of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Formatting is also important, and depending on what internship you are applying to, Coalter says it is important to tailor your resume based on each position.
4. Apply!
It may seem like an obvious step, but if you do not apply for internships, even if they are not your number one choice, you won’t ever land one! If you do not have much previous experience, it is important that you apply to several positions so that you can up your chances of landing one. You may not land your first choice right away, but remember that each internship you do get means you are just one step closer to landing your dream job.
5. Follow-up
Don’t panic if you don’t hear back from the places you applied to right away. Remember that these companies are extremely busy and receive quite a few applications. They don’t always have the time to answer you immediately and sometimes they need a follow-up email from you to be reminded of your application. Simply send them a quick email reminding them that you applied and look forward to hearing from them.
Worried about sounding too eager or overly aggressive? This would be the perfect time to stop by the CDC during walk-in hours or shoot a counselor a quick email asking them how to proceed.
6. Interview Prep
A good interview is key to landing an internship, and what better way to bolster your confidence than scheduling a mock interview with the CDC? Although it may not be comfortable, Coalter suggests students videotape themselves during the mock interview so they can better see how to improve their interview skills.
Before the interview, it is important that you know your resume backwards and forwards, because you may be asked questions about previous jobs or extracurriculars. Knowing your resume well will help you call upon answers for questions that at first stump you.
Also, never go into an interview without researching the company and the person who is interviewing you. You have to be prepared to answer questions like, “Why do you want to work here?” and “Do you have any questions for us?” You will not be able to answer either of these critical questions without conducting background research first. A simple Google search and studying the company’s website will pay off.
7. Say Please and Thank You
Within 24 hours of your interview, be sure to send a thank you note to your interviewer. “Be specific with your thank you and try to mention something you spoke about during the interview,” recommends Coalter, “or anything you didn’t have the opportunity to say. ”
Follow these 7 steps and you’ll be well on your way to landing an internship!