The transition from college to a full-time job can be intimidating to say the least. One way to take the stress out of the job search is to be as prepared as possible via internships.
Now that you have decided you really need an internship, where can you look to find it? There are four main categories of places to look.
1) School Services– Most schools have multiple resources for their students to find jobs and internships. The first and, in my opinion, best place to look is your school’s job board. Most schools will have some kind of online job portal with hundreds if not thousands of jobs and internships that are currently open. Other school-based resources include the on-campus career services department and teacher referrals.
2) Third Party Websites– These sites can be a great way to get your resume out to as many employers as possible without much time or expense. The problem with this strategy is that most companies are less likely to set up interviews without some follow-up from the applicant. This can make this source go from a small time commitment to a full-time job in itself. Examples include:
3) Personal Network– Your personal network includes your friends, family and previous coworkers. This is one of the best strategies due to the personal reference. You would be surprised how many contacts you can get from your own personal network.
4) Your Own Research– This method involves researching the companies in your field and applying directly. This is a very selective approach and can land you an internship at your dream company. The Internet is the best source of information for researching local companies.
When it comes down to it, your resume, follow-ups and interview are going to have the most influence on getting an internship. The more time and effort you put into sending applications and following up, the better chance you have at landing that dream internship.
If you have any questions about this series, or would like to inquire about internships at Studio 2055, feel free to reply!
Insights into Internships for Marketing and Beyond (Part 2)
Insights into Internships for Marketing and Beyond (Part 1)