It’s almost October and students are already worrying about summer internships. It feels like school has just begun, but the battle for the best ones have already started. The whole process can feel overwhelming and very competitive for those who haven’t applied before. However, if you can get ahead of the game, you’ll be sure to get any opportunity you apply for. Here are five tips for applying to summer internships:
Update your resume
At one point or another, you probably had to make an example resume for a class. Updating your resume on a regular basis is essential for applying to internships. Make sure to only include experiences and extracurriculars that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Resumes aren’t supposed to be a mile-long, so be selective on what you choose to include. Also try to call attention to important achievements such as scholarships and awards. This will help you stand out among your competition.
The most important thing to remember is proofreading. It may seem silly, but this is one of the make-or-break items. An employer will not want to hire someone whose resume is full of spelling and grammatical errors. Sites like Grammarly are great to help perfect those kinds of errors.
Connect on LinkedIn
Making connections is super important when applying for internships. LinkedIn is a great way to not only get to know what companies you’re applying to, but also to get to know current and past employees. In addition to possible employers, connect with your friends, professors and mentors. Knowing people in whatever industry you’re in always helps to get opportunities.
Update your LinkedIn profile just like you would with a resume. Add all of your extracurriculars, past internships and jobs and even marketable skills. This way, when you connect with potential employers, they don’t need to wait to see your resume before they see everything you have to offer.
Have a reference
Going along with making connections, it’s also essential that you include at least one reference. This can be from a mentor, related former employer or professor. When you are choosing who to ask, be sure to ask someone who genuinely knows you. Most professors won’t write you one unless you have made an effort in class to participate and get to know them.
This part can be especially hard with online classes, as it has been hard to meet professors over Zoom. Nevertheless, it never hurts to ask someone who could make a difference in your application process.
Don’t be shy when applying
When you’re still deciding where to apply, don’t be scared to apply to as many companies or businesses as possible. A certain company may seem out of reach at the time, but you never know unless you try. You also don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket and rely heavily on one opportunity.
Also, look through websites like Glassdoor and Indeed for ratings and comments from previous interns and employers. It can give great insight to the amount of work you’ll do, the possible time commitment and the overall atmosphere of the job.
Have a cover letter
After deciding where you want to apply, you’ll need to attach a cover letter to your resume packet. This is just a one-page letter to the company you’re applying to about who you are and why you want to work there. Before you start writing, research the company thoroughly. You want to work there for a reason, all you need to do is explain it.
Just like in a resume, emphasize your previous accomplishments and what value you can bring to the company. Everyone does something well, so make sure to convey that to your employers and how that can apply to your potential internship.
