Getting an internship reflects the age old question: what came first, the chicken or the egg? Similarly, what comes first, a job or experience? It is often very difficult to acquire internships seeing as they are very competitive and require “work experience.” So if you haven’t landed an internship yet, how could you have experience?! Networking, building projects and being a leader at your school go a long way in giving you certain “real life” experience. In fact, many of the lessons and lectures you sit through at school are not as valuable as the tools you gain through them: the late nights balancing classes, essays, readings and extracurriculars, meeting hundreds of new people, living life on your own and finding your way in the world can be very practical to your future career.
Playing up on your strengths is very important, but utilizing assets around you is especially important in getting that coveted internship that may lead to a full-time position. Check out some of the internship resources that may help you find the opportunity you’re hoping for:
a. Internship Finder is the “gateway to student internship opportunities.” With a very interactive and organized break down of opportunities, internship finder can help find opportunities based on location, company and industry. They also provide an internship vocabulary and recent postings that will help you get to where you want to be.
b. Career Manager is a program many Universities use to offer internships in and around the area. Check with your campus career services office or website to see if they offer a career manager page that updates postings on a weekly basis. For many students, this gives them a distinct advantage over other schools because employers are directly recruiting from your respective college.
c. Networking can be the most efficient way to get an internship. Many employers prefer hiring people they know and see in a different setting, so making a good impression can go a long way. Do not solely use these networking opportunities as a means to an end—get to know these business professionals and take an interest in what they do. They may have a friend of a friend who could help you out someday down the road.
d. MonsterCollege is where one of the titans of job hiring internet world makes a name for themselves by providing you hundreds of job and internship opportunities on a daily basis. They’ll also provide you daily newsletters with various job postings and updates in hopes to find you a match. Simply upload your resume to the sites and you will often be directly contacted by various employers around your area.
e. Indeed is likely the EASIEST of all internship resources to assist you in finding some summer work. You type in what you’re interested in and where you’re interested in working and Indeed does the rest. It breaks down opportunities based on locations, industry, pay and nearly any other tool you could be looking for, so be sure to constantly check up on Indeed’s site as new postings appear daily!
