How To Find A College Internship

As a college student, it can be difficult to balance both your school workload and your job preparation. In today’s workforce, it’s especially important to gain knowledge and experience about what you want to pursue, as jobs are always seemingly getting more and more competitive. One of the biggest opportunities that will help you gain those attributes is an internship. Internships are a great way to help you get your foot in the door and get a real glimpse of what could be your future career. However, with so many students competing with you, it can be difficult to navigate and find your best fit. Here are some tips on what you can do to stand out and maximize your chances of landing that great opportunity you’ve always wanted!

Network, Network, Network

One of the most important factors of the internship search is networking. Networking is a way to build connections, relationships, and friendships along your search. You’ll want to do this as much as possible for the field that interests you the most. As a college student, the best chances start with job fairs! Job fairs are usually hosted by the school and can help you meet with real business professionals as well as get a feel for how they operate. It’s important to ask questions, be friendly, and even see if they have any upcoming internship opportunities for you to apply for. Using these tactics will show them that you are truly interested and that you’re serious about gaining experience. Job fairs also have the advantage of talking to people face to face and directly communicating with peers who share similar interests.

Another networking method involves social media. There are multiple platforms you can use to streamline your internship search. LinkedIn, Handshake, and Indeed are great sites to start with as they notify you with potential employers and opportunities as they come. It’s important to have a profile that stands out, as well as making a lot of connections with peers and employers to give yourself some better chances. Having a professional photo, filtering for the ideal position you want, and creating a personal and public profile will get you noticed more often. Then, once an employer reaches out and asks for an application or resume, you’ll be one step closer to getting your opportunity.

Build Your Resume

One of the most important factors to maximize your chances of getting that internship is through resume building. Resume building is the best way to sell yourself to your employer! Make sure that any information that is related to the job you’re going for is listed first. You want to be concise and showcase your prior experience, skills, education, and accomplishments. For example, if you’re in the Honors college, put it in! Academic achievements and skills are important to employers because it lets them know your strengths and what you’re capable of as a potential intern. A concise resume is essential because you don’t want the potential employer to be reading through your resume for a long period of time. Being concise and clear lets them quickly look over your most important skills and accomplishments while also taking notice of them. If you’re able to, it might be a good idea to utilize a resume writer to boost your professional vocabulary and help you sell yourself even more. When an opportunity arises for you, your updated resume will make you feel a lot more confident in your chances.

Stay Patient

The most important tip for finding that college internship is to stay patient. Patience is a hard thing to have as your college career ticks on, but it’s important to establish it through the process as you may not get the first internship you apply for. If you don’t, there’s no reason to worry. Focus on anything you feel you can improve on, and keep chasing that opportunity you want. A resilient mindset is always important in the job hunting process. Build on what you have, stay focused, and become what you’re striving to be.