Summer internships. I’m sure you have all heard by now, this is something pretty much every college student should strive to do during their four years in college. While it’s not guaranteed that you will get a job through an internship, it definitely helps tremendously. Why is this important? It shows that you weren’t just sitting on your butt eating chips and watching Netflix all summer (if only that were a real job, am I right?), and that you were proactive enough to care about your future career. If that isn’t enough to convince you, then you can become a Communications major like me, where you are pretty much required to do one anyway.
Here are some tips that I have for those of you who are looking to do an internship:
1. Make sure you have a fabulous resume! No, it doesn’t have to be super snazzy or fancy or anything. In fact, it seems like the saying “less is more” definitely applies here. Hiring managers don’t need to know every single detail of your life – only your accomplishments/skills/experiences that are relevant.
2. Start early! I can’t stress this one enough. As a freshman at Furman, I know it seems like professors are out to get you and won’t cut you some slack. However, this will also probably be the period of time at Furman when you will actually be the most free, if you can believe it. So, start looking in January if you can, during your second semester. Honestly, I have made the mistake of waiting around too long hoping something will just fall in my lap. But alas, the world does not work that way and I was lucky enough to be hired by a few companies that were still hiring in April.
3. Once you’ve figured out what kind of internship you want to do (and trust me, there are about a bajillion and one out there) – do your homework. Do your homework by researching the industry, the companies that you are applying to, and think about what kind of contributions you can make. In the real world, nobody cares who you are – only what you can do and what you can offer to make their product/business better.
4. Build your network! Start now. This is so important and also something that I’ve also had to learn the long way. If you, like me, are an introvert – I feel you. But don’t worry – just be personable and be genuine whether you are asking someone for advice in the industry you want to go into, or if they know someone who may be hiring. What I have found is that most people actually really do want to help – you just have to muster up the courage to ask them for it. I’m not saying it will always work, but if I have learned anything this year, it is this golden phrase: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
5. Once you have landed the perfect internship of your dreams, make sure you put in all the effort that you possibly can because you never know if it will turn into a future career. I know it seems silly to point this out, but there is nothing a boss hates more than a snooty tooty entitled intern who thinks he/she is too good for the company. Also, you’ll most likely need their recommendation letter at the end of the internship for future jobs so you’ll want to get on their good side.
6. Last but not least, stay in touch with your bosses! They may not always offer you a position at the end of the internship, but if you get chummy enough with them, who knows – they may help refer you to another company in the same industry!