Finding an internship is a bit like applying to college. There are many similar components that will help you be successful in your internship search.
1. Do your research:
Look at possible internships well in advance of deadlines. Most organizations have evaluative criteria that they use when selecting interns, and this is much like the criteria that universities use when selecting students for their incoming classes. Make sure that your grades meet the minimum requirements that the company requires. Most programs will allow for a 3.0 minimum GPA, but the highly selective programs can ask for a 3.5 GPA or even higher. Do the math and figure out which internships fit with your transcript. Like colleges, employers know that you probably haven't had a chance to find the cure to cancer or visit all 7 wonders of the natural world, and they don't look for this when they select interns for the summer. Instead they look at potential. Select papers and experiences to include in your internship portfolio that show the company that you could be very successful in their work environment. Show how you handle stress, deadlines, group projects, and other situations that will arise when you intern so they will be confident in your ability to make great contributions. Companies also want to know that you are interested in being there. Internships - like anything in life - can get very monotonous without a positive attitude and a general excitement for the work that you are doing. Show the business that you are a perfect fit with their company. Align your values with their mission statement. Do your research so you know what they are currently working on and what they have accomplished in the past few years. Just as schools are pleased when you demonstrate a commitment to the traditions and ideals that they hold in high esteem, so are companies flattered when you express to them just how much you want to work there. |
2. Apply to reach, target, and safety internships:
Reach internships are those that may be reserved for students with higher academic standing than you or require skills that you currently don't possess. Don't count them out! If you show a company that you fit with them and have a vast potential to learn, even if your grades or experience aren't up to par with those you're competing against, you might just land the job. Target internships are those that match up with your grades, fit, and potential. These internships would work really well with your major and would allow you to explore your career field of interest. Most of your internship applications should land somewhere in this range. Safety internships are those that you are a bit overqualified for. They would still be beneficial, but they may not fit as well, they might not be in the city that you want to work in or they may not utilize your potential in the way that you would want. Still apply to a few of these as a precautionary measure. 3. Get organized:
Keep an organized list of due dates for internships and what is required for each application. Make sure that your internship applications present your story - what you want employers to know about you and how an internship with them would mesh with your story. For more information on this topic, see The Career Center's i-Plan page at: http://careercenter.umich.edu/topic/iplan |
The Career Center Connector is a service provided to you by The University of Michigan. Employers and internship coordinators send The Career Center job and internship opportunities that are posted on this site. You can also create your resume on their Resume Builder tool, search for internships based on a number of criteria, find job fairs and interview opportunities, explore online workshops, and conduct mock interviews through their new mock interview module. This is a great place to start your internship search.
Two Career Center social media platforms also provide resources for interns. The first is The Employer Buzz, a Tumblr that provides students with information about upcoming career fairs as well as openings for student employment in department offices and research labs. The next is The Career Center Pinterest, which provides students with internship opportunities and ideas for students studying in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
Other places to look for internships include Idealist, Internships.com and InternMatch. Click below to get started:
Additionally, The Career Center has great resources on everything concerning internships, from resumes to cover letters to interview prep. Click below to find more information: