In the search bar, type “intern” and any phrases that relate to your specific career field like “finance” or “medicine. ” There will also be an option for setting a geographic location for your search so you can find jobs near you.
Look for message boards or sites that are specific to your preferred career field.
Ask the recruiter questions like what kind of work you’ll be doing during the internship, what kind of opportunities it could lead to, and what the company culture is like. Most career fairs that aren’t held at schools will be for full-time jobs. If you do plan to attend one of these fairs, ask the event organizer if any internships will be available. Think of your conversations with recruiters as interviews. Bring a resume, dress nicely, and exude confidence at the fairs so you make a good impression.
It’s best to approach a teacher you know fairly well and whose subject matter you are interested in. Say something like “I am really enjoying our class. Do you know of any relevant internship opportunities?”
Include information about volunteer work and extracurricular school activities or teams you participated in. Include the courses you have taken in school, your GPA, and standardized testing schools as well, especially if you feel like your résumé is too short. Be descriptive in including your job functions, not just the names and dates of your employment. [6] X Expert Source Jonathan SoormaghenCareer Coach Expert Interview. 7 October 2020. Instead of just saying that you served as an office assistant, describe duties like sending company-wide emails, drafting press releases, reordering office supplies, receiving and redirecting phone calls, and handling mail intake. [7] X Research source If you do have a lot experience to fill up your résumé, try to be concise. A résumé should be no longer than two pages long. [8] X Research source Design it so that the information can easily be gleamed by a skim read. Bullet points are a good way to emphasize the most important information. [9] X Research source Ask a teacher or a professional to read your résumé and give advice.
Have at least 3 recommenders in mind. Provide no more than 5 per job application. Try to give your recommender some guidance as to what qualities you want emphasized in the letter.
Provide a short description for each sample that gives the context for its creation. Describe the sample’s purpose and whether you made it for a job, school assignment, or recreation. If you have a large number of samples, be selective about what you include. Choose 3-5 samples of your best work. Consider changing your portfolio around for different jobs if certain samples are more directly applicable than your best. [13] X Expert Source Jonathan SoormaghenCareer Coach Expert Interview. 7 October 2020. There are numerous free and premium online platforms for developing portfolios. Portfolio Gen, Carbonmade, eFolio, and Coroloft are some free options. Big Black Bad, Parade, and Pixpa are some premium options. If you have some web design skills, you could use an open source site like WordPress, Blogger, or TypePad. [14] X Research source
Avoid repeating the content from your résumé. Instead, express exactly how your experience prepares you for the internship you’re applying for. [16] X Research source Write a unique cover letter for each internship you apply to. Employers can easily tell if you’re using a cookie cutter letter and may reflect negatively on you. [17] X Research source Try to find a specific person to contact and address the letter to them. [18] X Expert Source Jonathan SoormaghenCareer Coach Expert Interview. 7 October 2020. If you can’t find a specific contact person, address it as “Dear wikiHow hiring manager. ”
Always shower, brush your teeth, and comb your hair before your interview. For men in a corporate environment, a suit is most ideal. If you don’t have a suit, wear a dress shirt, dress shows, and dress slacks with a tie. Make sure everything is properly laundered and ironed. For women in a corporate environment, pantsuits or a professional dress should be worn. You can wear high heels or flats, as long as they are professional looking. Try to conceal any tattoos and remove nontraditional piercings. [20] X Research source
If you think you may come off as nervous, try to practice some potential answers in front of mirror beforehand. Try to think positively and imagine yourself succeeding in getting the internship to build confidence. Find the technique that works for you. Living in the moment in the interview and not thinking of the outcome may take the pressure off and help you relax. [21] X Expert Source Alan FangSoftware Engineering Intern Expert Interview. 10 January 2019.
“What are your strengths and weaknesses?” “What made you decide to apply for this internship?” “Describe a time when you had to meet a deadline,” “Describe a time you had to work with a team,” “Describe a time you had to deal with a problem customer,” are common questions you’ll hear in a job or internship interview. While it’s good to be prepared, don’t overthink your answers. The main purpose of these questions is to see how well you think on your feet and sounding over-rehearsed can reflect negatively on you. [22] X Research source
Instead of saying “This would be a great opportunity for me to learn more about sales,” say something like “I think my passion for developing sales skills will really contribute to your team’s goals. ”
If you can’t think of anything specific, ask something like “When do you think you’ll be making your hiring decision?” “How long has the company been around?” or “What is the typical day-to-day like in the office?”[25] X Research source
A good follow-up should say something like “I just wanted to reach out and thank you for your time the other day. I sincerely enjoyed learning more about the company and position. Please let me know if you have any additional questions about my background or need anything else from me. I look forward to discussing further. ”
