If you are looking for ways to find a perfect internship, then continue reading this article until the end to get tips that will help you secure one.
When searching for internship positions, you stand the best chance of finding the perfect internship if you employ different strategies.
You may combine networking, attending career fairs, or even looking for internship listings online.
You could also begin your internship search by identifying potential employers through classified ads or the local Chamber of Commerce.
In the end, what really matters is that you are able to find an internship position using the different ways available to you.
Finding an internship requires time and planning, but the results are definitely worth the effort.
So, if you are looking for ways to find an internship, here are some recommendations that will help you.
How to find an internship
#1. Perfect your CV
The first thing you want to do before you start your internship hunting is to prepare and perfect your CV.
This is essential because you need a CV to apply for your internships and jobs.
If you are wondering what you can add in your CV since it’s your first time applying for an internship, then you need to know that there are a lot.
You need to consider personal hobbies and extracurricular interests, volunteering and part-time work, and all the skills and knowledge acquired during your studies.
What skills do you have that an employer could use?
This could be anything from research and planning, to social media community building or Photoshop and video editing.
Instead of organizing your CV based on employment, list your key skills and then give concrete examples of how you’ve acquired and utilized each one.
This is a good way to present a perfect CV if you have no prior work experience.
With your CV ready, you can now advance to the other ways of finding an internship.
But before we go one, make sure to avoid these mistakes when applying for an internship.
#2. Start Your Internship Search as Early as Possible
Starting early is one of the most effective ways to land your dream internship.
This is because certain industries and internships have early deadlines and recruit and hire as early as November.
Therefore, beginning your internship search during winter break affords you additional lead time.
It can also give you the opportunity to make valuable connections with alumni or professionals within organizations of interest to you.
#3. Decide in Advance What You Want To Do
The next tip for finding an internship is to identify your broad career Interests and deciding in advance what you want to do.
While making this decision, you don’t have to worry about being too specific.
After all, gaining experience in a number of career fields is a good idea.
At least, it has its own benefits if you are unsure about the career you want to pursue after college.
To help you decide a career choice, you may want to think about what you enjoy and how that might parlay into a career.
Do you enjoy watching shows on extreme engineering or robotics? Finance and accounting? Landscaping?
Are you interested in social activism and making a difference in the world?
Internships can give you exposure to opportunities and a chance to sample new and exciting career fields.
#4. Use Your Network
What better time is there to use your network than when you want to find an internship?
If you are looking for ways to find an internship, then you can speak with family, friends, faculty, and college advisors.
You can also speak with the career counsellors in the Career Services Office at your college about what type of internship you want and when and where you want to do it.
In addition, contacting alumni from your college is another good strategy for finding an internship.
You can have informational interviews with them which can provide you with valuable information on career options and internships that you can pursue.
But, be sure to show appreciation to them for sharing their time and expertise with you.
#5. Check Online Resources
There are several online resources where you can find internship opportunities.
Websites like Internships.com that specializes in internships only are a good place to begin your search.
Also, you can check out the internship section of this website to find internship opportunities.
Another way is for you to contact your Career Services Office at your college to see if they have recommended internship resources that you might use or subscribe to.
Also, visit company websites and online and offline classified ads to identify employers who may be interested in hiring an intern.
#6. Attend Career Fairs
Attending career fairs is another good way to get an internship.
This is because many top employers attend career fairs to recruit, screen, and hire talented interns and employees.
So, you need to prepare yourself and attend as many career fairs as you can find near you.
Check with your Career Services Office at your college to identify career and/or internship fairs happening at the moment.
Also, you have to prepare a 60-second elevation pitch to introduce yourself to potential employers.
The introduction should describe you and how you can be of value to the employer.
Finally, don’t forget to get the contact of recruiters that you meet at the fair, and be sure to follow up with them.
#7. Contact Employers
If you can get access to the contact information of employers, then you need to contact them directly.
Telephone or visit employers in your geographic and/or career areas of interest and inquire about summer jobs/internships.
If you are wondering where to get their contact details from, then you should be looking on LinkedIn or the company’s website.
Again, you have to prepare to give a 60-second introduction that sells your skills and explains how you can be of value.
Be sure to do your research on the company to get information on the employment needs of the employer.
That way, you can better package yourself and your 60-second pitch to fit into what the employer is looking for.
If you are not able to get through to the employer the first time, then be sure to follow up whenever possible to arrange an in-person or telephone interview.
#8. Become an Entrepreneur
Well, not everyone will have the opportunity of getting a good internship position.
As a result, you don’t have to be stuck at home doing nothing.
With the right skills, you too can become an entrepreneur.
All you need to do is to identify a problem that you can solve with the skills that you have.
By so doing, you can sell your solution to the people that need it and make more than enough money for yourself.
If you have not acquired a skill set, then you make need to take some free online courses for that purpose.
#9. Gain Experience as a New Graduate or Career Changer
This tip is slightly related to deciding in advance what career path you want to follow.
If you don’t have a specific interest in a career, you can explore other options available to you.
New graduates and those experiencing career change can also try internships to gain perspective on new career fields and develop new knowledge and skills.
Internships can be the bridge between an unsatisfying career and a potentially new and exciting venture.
You can use internship and job search databases to identify organizations that meet your criteria.
Can I do an internship online?
If you have tried all the different ways of finding an internship and not worked out for you, there is another way.
Did you know that you can do an internship online?
Online internships offer an opportunity for students to get real-world business experience without spending each day in the office.
If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to get that internship experience, then a virtual intern program might be the right solution.
Why you should consider an online internship program
You may be wondering whether there are companies that will accept you for an online internship.
The truth is that companies get to benefit a lot from online internship programs and that’s why they consider it a lot.
Here are some of the reasons companies prefer to accept online interns;
- Save time. A virtual workforce allows employers to delegate never-ending busywork, freeing up experienced team members to focus on high-impact activities.
- Save money. Cash-strapped small businesses can tap into a temporary workforce without the burden of overhead costs for in-office employees.
- Better talent. Access students from the top universities across the country, giving the company a way to bring in diversity and new skill sets.
- Future hires. Most internships last for three months, which is a perfect timeline for a test-run to see if the interns have what it takes to be a future hire.
Depending on the nature of work in the company, they will most likely accept virtual interns.
So, if you have a skill that you can provide online for a company, then you should definitely apply to one.
Conclusion
Because of the growing popularity of internships and the benefits companies derive from it, internship opportunities are increasingly becoming competitive.
With the different ways of finding an internship shared in this article, I am sure that you can land the perfect internship for yourself.
And if you do well, you can also turn your internship into a permanent job as well.
Now, let me know in the comment section, which of the tips you will use immediately.
Are you going to start contacting the people in your network or you prefer to attend career fairs?
Don’t forget to share this article to help someone find a perfect internship.
Cheers.
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