Internships are a great way to gain real-world experience in your field of interest, build professional connections, and enhance your resume. Want to know how to score one?
With so many candidates applying for a limited number of positions, getting an internship can be challenging. But don't you worry, we'll provide you with tips on finding internships, how to stand out in your resume, and interview questions to prepare for. These tips are based of personal experience and how I scored 5 internships throughout my high school and college career.
Tips on Finding Internships:
Start early: Start looking for internships as early as possible. Many companies start recruiting for summer internships as early as September of the previous year.
Use online resources: There are many online resources available to help you find internships. Websites like Handshake, Indeed, LinkedIn and Glassdoor are great places to start. (Believe it or not, I got my Jetson job through Handshake!! 🤫)
Network: Reach out to family members, friends, and alumni who work in your field of interest. They may be able to provide you with information about available internships or even recommend you to their contacts.
Attend job fairs: Attend job fairs and career events at your school or in your community. These events are a great way to meet potential employers and learn about available internships. Tip: Bring a resume and general cover letter on why you should be hired!
Last but not least, create a LinkedIn and connect with people from different industries you are interested in!
Tips on How to Stand Out in Your Resume:
Customize your resume: Customize your resume for each internship you apply to. Highlight your skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position. If you need resume templates, we've found you some!
Use keywords: Use keywords from the internship description in your resume. This will help your resume get noticed by applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use to screen resumes. THIS IS KEY!!!
Highlight your achievements: Instead of just listing your responsibilities, highlight your achievements in previous roles. Use numbers and data to quantify your accomplishments.
Keep it concise: Keep your resume concise and to the point. Most employers prefer resumes that are one page long. Use these action verbs list to help you out with your wordings.
Interview Questions to Prepare for:
Tell me about yourself: This question is often used as an icebreaker in interviews. Prepare a brief 30-second to one-minute summary of your skills, experiences, and career goals. You should have your elevator pitch memorized and ready to go at all times!
Why do you want this internship? Be prepared to explain why you are interested in the internship and how it aligns with your career goals.
What are your strengths and weaknesses? Prepare a list of your strengths and weaknesses and be ready to explain how they relate to the internship.
Tell me about a time when you faced a challenge and how you overcame it. Prepare a specific example of a challenge you faced in a previous role and how you solved it.
Have questions on deck for you to ask the employers. Remember, this is an interview for both yourself and them! Make sure to ask all the necessary questions before committing.
Getting an internship can be challenging, but with the right approach, it's possible to stand out from the competition. Use these tips on finding internships, how to stand out in your resume, and interview questions to prepare for to increase your chances of scoring an internship in your field of interest.
Have a resume or cover letter you need revisions on? Send it to kat@trystack.io
Jetson team is here to help!! 🤗
TLDR
We've provided you tips on how to score an internship. It covers how to find internships, how to stand out in your resume, and interview questions to prepare for. The post emphasizes starting early, using online resources, networking, customizing your resume, using keywords, highlighting your achievements, and preparing for common interview questions. With these tips, students can increase their chances of getting an internship in their field of interest.
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