6 Tips To Landing A Dream Summer Internship

By Colby Burdick on May 3, 2016

For college students, summertime is no longer a three-month vacation full of beaches, boats and barbecues. It is now the ideal time to build up our resumes, experience the workforce, and form connections with companies that we hope will pay off when graduation rolls around.

Summer internships are excellent stepping stones for students to get their foot in the door of the working world. However, securing a summer internship has become increasingly more difficult as the number of applicants seems to double each year. Not to mention the interview process is beyond daunting. Many universities do not provide students with ample interview skills training, which in turn leaves students struggling to know exactly how they should go about landing their dream summer internships.

Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind when you begin the summer internship application process.

1. Start searching for open summer positions and/or internship programs very early on.

Waiting until the last minute is basically like setting yourself up for failure, and will almost guarantee that you will be working at the local ice cream shop come June 1. There is no harm in getting the ball rolling and seeing which companies offer summer internships that you are interested in. From there you can make a master list of your top choices that will come in handy when application deadlines are released.

The earlier you get your name into the applicant pool, or even on the radar of your favorite companies, the better. Showing interest early on gives you a leg up on the other applicants, and when the application finally opens you will be one of the first to apply. When you are organized and on top of the summer internship process, you have more choice and options to pick from.

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2. Keep an open-mind and apply to all types of jobs (even if you don’t meet all the criteria).

It can’t hurt to at least apply to a marketing internship even if you are an English major. Nowadays, employers are looking for well-rounded students who have unique skill sets, they are not looking to hire 10 of the exact same students. You may be just the person they are looking for, but you won’t know that unless you apply!

Lots of students think that they have to apply to internships that fall within their majors or future career field. This is completely not true. Summer internships are the time to build up your resume with lots of different work experiences that show you are versatile. The more experience you have, the more jobs you will be able to qualify for after graduation. Don’t be the person who applies to only one summer position because you thought it was the only one that would accept you.

3. Don’t be discouraged by rejection.

If you find yourself being accepted to every single one of the internships you applied to then kudos to you, but the reality is that the internship process is extremely selective and you will receive a lot more bad news than good news. It is obviously difficult to repeatedly hear “unfortunately, we cannot offer you an intern position at this time,” and you may want to just give up altogether after the sixth rejection letter.

Do not stop trying. It says a lot about you as an employee if you can bounce back and persevere despite always being told no. It is important to not give up and keep putting yourself out there no matter what the feedback is. Chances are sooner or later you will find the job that was waiting for you all along.

4. Make your resume picture-perfect.

Resumes are like first impressions. They are the very first piece of information that employers receive about you, and the first thing that goes into your applicant folder. Therefore, they must be flawless. Many universities have resume workshops where you can drop in and have an expert give you feedback on your resume and correct any obvious mistakes. There is nothing more embarrassing than applying to a job and realizing you have a spelling error on your resume.

I have heard of many employers not even considering an applicant if it is obvious their resume wasn’t proofread. Set yourself up for success by having lots of different eyes scan over your resume before you press that submit button. Even have your parents read it over for you because, after all, they know what a good resume looks like.

If you find that your university or career center doesn’t offer a resume workshop on campus, try approaching one of your professors to see if they would be willing to look it over for you. Just be sure someone other than yourself has looked your resume over before you hand it over to your possible future employer.

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5. Do your research and be extra prepared for the big interview.

Interviews are the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your personality and set yourself apart from the applicant pack. They allow you to be more than just a resume and a cover letter. The interview is your best chance at landing your dream internship, if you execute it well from start to finish.

Once you move onto the interview round, you need to do your research to ensure you know the company inside and out, in case the interviewer asks tough questions. You will not be hired if you have no clue what it is that the company you are hoping to work for even does. The best applicants will be able to talk about the company’s status and where it is heading in the next few years.

Have the basic background of the company down, and even look into the profile of the person who is conducting your interview so they know you did your homework. If you really want to ace your interview, be sure to follow up the interview with a formal thank you note. This means that the person who interviewed you now has your contact info, and can vouch for you when it comes time to selecting the lucky few interns.

6. Stay in touch with all of your past employers.

Lots of times, companies will request that you submit a formal recommendation from someone who has employed you in the past, and you don’t want to find yourself reaching out to someone who you haven’t spoken to in over three years (most of the time they won’t even remember who you are).

It is very important to maintain your work connections because they can be very beneficial down the road. You want someone who can speak highly of your accomplishments at the company and talk about why you should be hired for this internship. Checking in here and there to make sure your name is still on the company’s radar is crucial. This way you will build up a solid network of business relationships that you can keep throughout your entire career.

When it comes time to apply to your first official job, it helps to be able to reconnect with former employers because who knows, they might even be hiring.

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