It’s almost time for summer internships to begin. Do not worry! There is still plenty of time to find a great position at an exciting company. Follow these steps and land the internship you’ve always wanted for this summer!
Create your “Intern Queen Dream List”.
This list should consist of 10 companies that you dream of working at. Think as big as you want to for this list. The second list should be 10 companies that are similar in field/industry to the first list, but they need to be local to you. These companies should be located in your city or town.
When I went to school in Orlando, my first “Intern Queen Dream List” consisted of magazines like US Weekly, Seventeen, etc. My second list contained magazines that were fun and trendy but also close to where I was living.
Keep track of your materials.
Make sure to keep a list that reads “Status”. This is where you document when you send an application, what you send, and when you will follow up. I hate hearing that students don’t follow up. Don’t let your applications fall into a black hole. Follow up with the internship coordinator two weeks after sending your materials to make sure they were properly received.
Apply to more than one!
I always hear about students applying to only one or two internships. It is internship season and internships are extremely competitive these days. I suggest students apply to at least 10 – 20 internships per semester. For the summer, apply for at least 20 internships. The more competitive the internships, the more you should be applying for.
Do your homework.
Don’t send materials out blindly. Call the company and ask to speak with the internship coordinator. Find out WHO you are sending these materials to and LEARN about the company. You should know each companies mission statement and be familiar with their website, news, and updates. If they’ve been in the press lately, you should know about it.
Lauren Berger is called “The Intern Queen” after completing 15 internships during her 4 years of college. Lauren is the expert on everything internship-related and she actively pursues opportunities to help educate Students, Parents, Professors, and Employers about internships.
