Best Practices for Getting an Internship in College

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/6″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” overlay_strength=”0.3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” overlay_strength=”0.3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Internships are valuable experiences for most college students. This type of job opportunity allows you to explore your field of study further. It also prepares you for the working world and helps you build your resume. The right internship can lead to a paid job opportunity over the summer or landing a job after you graduate. You’ll also establish networking and contacts to help you further your studies and career.

Start Looking Early

Many people coast through their freshman and sophomore year, avoiding the internship until they’re closer to graduation. However, if you start your look early, you can get ahead in more ways than one.

You’ll develop a better understanding of your industry, which can help you decide whether you really want to follow through with your chosen academic and career path. When you start look early, you’ll also develop networking and contacts before many of your peers do.

When you start to look early it can help you with landing a job in the summer of your junior or senior year while everyone else is starting on their internships. You’ll also get a sense of the job opportunity that’s best suited to you.

Establish Networking and Contacts

Starting your look early doesn’t guarantee that you’ll secure the internship. But it can help you with networking and contacts that will assist you down the road. Even if your early application is turned down, you’ll have time to determine what went wrong, and you’ll have a leg up on the other candidates next year when it comes to looking for a job opportunity or internship.

Your networking and contacts opportunities can also help you with landing a job or an internship. When you’re seeking an internship, explore openings at your college or university. Check with your personal contacts to determine whether anyone has a good fit available for you. You can also practice networking and contacts skills by attending job fairs and contacting alumni groups.

Strengthen Your Resume

When college students are applying to internships, they may feel insecure about their job history. What do you include on a resume when you’ve never worked in corporate America?

Think about your strengths. How have your experiences helped you grow? Where have you learned your most valuable skills?

Almost any job opportunity can be spun into a life lesson. You can include work such as mowing lawns, babysitting and serving tables on a resume for an internship. Most employers understand that you’re still young and haven’t had much experience with landing a job yet. However, they do want to hear about your resourcefulness, entrepreneurial spirit, dedication to helping others, sense of responsibility and perseverance.

If any extracurricular activities have helped you develop those capabilities, include them in your resume too. High school and college students can improve their chances of landing a job or internship by joining clubs and organizations that are related to their career goals. It’s never too early to gain experience that you can showcase on your resume.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/6″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” overlay_strength=”0.3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][/vc_column][/vc_row]