When figuring out how to get a good internship, you have to learn to put your best foot forward and find where you can fit into the broader story of the company or industry. Internships are a major part of your college career and can be a steppingstone into post-graduate work. But how can you secure the best one for you?
From how to write an internship resume to nailing your interview process, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get an internship.
What Makes a “Good Internship”?
A good internship is any internship that gives you a better perspective into what working life will be like. This can come in many shapes and forms, but here are a few ways to tell if an internship is good, or at least good for you.
There are many qualities of a good internship program. Remember, no internship will have all of these characteristics, but identify a few that are most important to you and keep them in mind as you search.
- It's in a field you’re interested in working in.
- It’s at a company you're interested in working for.
- It’s paid.
- You’ve had friends or classmates benefit from this internship in the past.
- It teaches you a specific skill you can put on your resume.
- It connects you to other people/companies/ideas you’re interested in working with.
- It easily fits with your schedule.
- It seems fun!
How to Get Your Foot in the Door
From discovering the perfect opportunity to finding the best skills to include on a resume, here’s what you can do to have the best shot at landing an interview.
Talk to Others Before Applying
You have a wealth of knowledge at your disposal with your professors and classmates who are all in the same field as you. Check in with the professors and advisers in your college to see where they’ve had successful students in successful internships in the past and talk with older students about where they’ve had their favorite internships.
You can also use resources like Handshake and LinkedIn to see what companies are hiring in your area. Additionally, LinkedIn lets you explore who works at different companies and if anyone is a graduate from your school, which can come in handy when you’re networking and making connections at different organizations.
Beyond looking for internships and networks, LinkedIn Learning is a great tool for developing high-value skills to add to your resume. It offers personalized recommendations and courses across skills levels, including topics that can help you with internship preparation.
Craft a Specific Resume
Once you’ve decided that you’re going for an internship, the next step is to write out a resume. Don’t worry if you feel like you don’t have a lot of experience; everyone has to start somewhere!
Make sure you include details about all relevant experiences, including jobs, service, student research, skills, awards, etc. The best skills to include on a resume are those that directly apply to the internship. You’re going to want to try to stick to one page, so it’s okay to have multiple resumes that change a little based on what the internship is asking of you. You can also use keywords from the application within your resume to make sure you’re matching what they’re asking for.
Don’t be afraid to flex a little either! It’s okay to be specific in your descriptions of what you’ve done for each previous job and to show that you’re qualified for what you’re applying for.
Share Your Story in a Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is where you get the chance to really shine. As you decide how to write an internship cover letter, try to pick a few of the most interesting and relevant things you’ve done, talk about what you did and what you learned and relate those experiences to the internship you’re applying for. Specificity is a good thing here too, so feel free to share a few things you did and how they’re going to help you if you were to be offered this internship.
Make sure you keep the cover letter to about a page as well, and try to address it to the specific internship coordinator if you can find their information.
Edit with Career Services
Many universities like Belmont have career and professional development offices where you can get help editing your resume and cover letter. Use them! Meet with people whose whole job is to help you get those jobs and listen to their suggestions. You may also get some great advice on other internships to pursue and classes to try out!
The Interview Process
Your resume and cover letter were stellar and you landed an interview! Here’s how to interview for an internship.
Personal Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a short introduction to a company or product that can be shared with someone in the time it takes to ride an elevator together.
Your personal elevator pitch should share who you are and the most important things the interviewer should know about you. That way, when you start the interview and get asked to share about yourself, you have a strong answer ready to go.
Mock Interviews
It’s always great to investigate what some of the most common questions are in an internship interview. Finding practice internship questions online will give you an idea of some of the major topics that will be covered, including more about your experience, how you interact with a work environment and why you feel passionate about working for this organization.
Remember, while it can be valuable to search for mock interview questions and answers, make sure you answer every question in a way that’s authentic to yourself.
Career and professional development services are also a great place to practice your interviewing skills if having someone to respond to is beneficial.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Spend a few minutes each day before the interview going over some practice internship questions and your personal elevator pitch. You don’t have to have anything completely memorized, but know a few stories about yourself that you can easily share and be prepared to answer those common questions. Practicing now will help you feel more confident during the actual interview.
You Did It!
No matter how your application experience goes, learning how to apply and interview well is a valuable tool that will help you as you search for internships and jobs in the future. Best of luck internship hunting!
Check out some incredible Nashville internship stories!