1. You will need to prepare professional looking internship resumes and cover letters. While an internship may not be a paid position, applying for an internship will require a resume and a cover letter that is at the same high level of quality of the items you would submit for a paid job. Solid resumes and cover letters are a must because the internship landscape is extremely competitive. A low quality resume will not cover it.
2. The next logical point would be to sharpen your interview skills. Once again, the landscape for internships is competitive. Those that are called into an internship job interview need to bring their “A Game” to the table. When you deliver an impressive interview that impresses, you may be primed to receive a job offer as a result.
3. Perform as much research into the company you are applying for as possible. Even if you are looking at a short term summer internship job, you need to know as much about the company you are applying for. This way, you can be sure you are applying with a company that will aid in helping you achieve your career goals. Venturing into summer internship jobs should never occur with both eyes closed. You need to be well aware of the company you are sending applications into so you know you are applying to the right one.
4. Look towards smaller companies as opposed to larger ones. This is not to dismiss the value of those companies that are large corporations. Such entities might very well be great venues in which to perform your internship. But, you also run the risk of seeing your internship resumes buried at the bottom of a huge stack. Applying to smaller companies might increase the odds of being called into an interview because you will stand out more.
5. Always ask around. Sure, looking over listings of internship job postings for openings is helpful yet, you might also have a great deal of better luck asking friends, professors, and relatives, etc for insight into where it would be best to direct your internship resumes. Often, you will discover there are a great many unadvertised internship job openings that may be available. In some cases, individualized internships may be developed for you since you are approaching the prospect of an internship via networking as opposed to randomly applying.
6. Using one internship as a springboard to another one is also a reliable strategy. Those that prove to be excellent interns may opt to continue their internships in an expanded capacity the next semester or summer session. There are scores of benefits to this approach. The ability to expand your knowledge and experience in a particular field would definitely be beneficial. The ability to develop stronger ties with the management of the office in which you are interning would be another. And, of course, the greatest benefit would be this approach might lead you towards being offered a job when all is said and done. And wouldn't that be the end result you are seeking when all is said and done?
7. Never give up if you are not selected for an internship. Some might get a little down and depressed if they do not get that internship offer they had really been looking towards. Unfortunately, nothing in life is guaranteed which is why it is so very necessary to realize it may take more than one try to land an internship that you would truly love. As long as you never give up, such a goal is possible.
Many of these tips are little more than basic common sense. They can certainly help you achieve your land a great internship. Those seeking the best listings for internship opportunities are well advised to check out InternshipCrossing.com as it is the premiere web resource for these opportunities.
