Advice on Getting an Internship

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Reading the news lately could cause one to think that a plain old bachelor’s degree just doesn’t cut it anymore. Unfortunately, that thought wouldn’t be too far from the truth. Employers feel that most schools thrust their graduates into the workforce woefully unprepared, so getting a summer internship (or some other form of job preparation) is more crucial than ever. Here are a few tips to help you with everything from searching online, to building a résumé, to nailing the interview and getting the job.

Finding Jobs to Apply For

Where to start? First, figure out the basics. Ask yourself these questions to help get the job search going:

1. What do I want to do for a living?

2. What will my skill set be when the summer comes along?

3. Where will I be living this summer?

4. Do I have any family members or friends that work in the industry I want to work in?

Once you know these answers, it’s time for the search to begin. Most larger companies will have job listings directly on their websites (usually hidden at the bottom somewhere). Others may not, so you can find open positions through search engines like Monster, or even Rochester’s own Career Center. If you know anybody who works in the industry you’re trying to get into, ask them for the best way to get an application in. Who you know can be just as important as how talented you are, for better or worse. Start building a list of open positions you’re interested in; make sure to keep in mind things like requirements, location, and skills. Most internships are 10 weeks long; some pay,while others don’t.

Building a Résumé and an Online Presence

Ever heard of LinkedIn? If so, great! If not, it’s basically an online résumé and networking tool. Take my word for it when I say it’s helpful; it’s what landed me an interview at Udacity, an online education company I’ll be working part-time for in the fall. You should head over to LinkedIn, create an account, and fill out the information to create a profile. Once your profile is created, you can start adding connections by searching for people you know who are also on LinkedIn. LinkedIn will serve as a way for recruiters and potential employers to find you and figure out if you fit their needs. You should also take a look at your other social media accounts: make sure your Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ profiles are filled with accurate information and don’t contain anything you wouldn’t want an employer to see.

If you’re tech savvy, building a personal website is also a great option. It’ll serve a similar purpose to LinkedIn, but you can have more creative freedom with the design and content, and you can even run a blog if you want. For reference, here’s my website.

As far as a résumé, I generally prefer to create individual résumés for each job I apply for, rather than one all-encompassing document. They should be one page (although there’s debate on this) and only contain relevant information. Here is a good basic structure for a résumé if you’ve never created one:

1. Objective statement: This is optional (omit it if you’re running out of space), and is a brief summary of your personality and goals.

2. Work experience: Any jobs you’ve held. If you’ve held more than three, only include the most relevant three (i.e., get rid of any supermarket jobs if you can, etc.).

3. Education: High school, college, and online programs (if any).

4. Skills: This one can be tricky: avoid putting things like “good with people” here, and focus on specific, relevant skills.

5. Projects/Research/Other things you’ve done that might catch an employer’s eye.

6. References: One or two names and their contact information. 

Applying and Nailing the Interview

Now that you’ve found jobs to apply for, created a résumé, and made a presence for yourself online, now comes the tough part: getting the job! Send in those applications (usually through an online application; otherwise you might have to mail it in or go to the business itself), and let the waiting game begin. The process basically works like this:

Stage 1: You send in the application. If they receive it and like what you see, they will reach out via LinkedIn, email, or phone. If you’ve made it this far, you’ll have to set up interviews next.

Stage 2: Interviews. This is the hardest and most stressful part, and varies wildly depending on industry. I’ve seen both sides; for Udacity, I racked up a total of five interviews (three over Google Hangouts video chat, two over the phone) before being accepted. However, my last job had a grand total of one brief interview. Generally, you’ll have a phone screening with the company’s HR department, to make sure your personality will fit with the culture, and that will be followed by one or more “technical” interviews to make sure you’re actually qualified. There are many good resources (including people you know!) that can detail the interview experience and how to succeed. I think this article is a good overview.

Stage 3: If you did well enough in the interviews, you’ll generally hear back in two to three weeks with a decision. If you made it, congrats! If not, there are other opportunities out there, such as research at a university, regular employment at a local store, or even volunteer work or a side project.

Hopefully you’ll all be able to find something to do for the next summer! Be sure to apply for summer work in the fall to get a head start.

-Ty