Spring is almost here! Which means it’s…summer internship season! It has been such a pleasure having the opportunity to be on a few college campuses within the past few weeks speaking with students about the career search process and conducting mock interviews. From an employer’s perspective, it is great to see students who are genuinely excited about their career search or the major they are studying in school. The workplace certainly needs energized and innovative individuals to bring fresh ideas to the table. So, while you’re starting your summer internship search, here are a few things to consider.
1. It’s never too early to begin the search: Every company is different when it comes to its timeline for hiring summer interns. For the most part, many companies are posting the openings and actively beginning to accept applications. By reaching out to a company or recruiter earlier on in the process, it can show that you’re genuinely interested in a potential opportunity there.
2. Take Advantage of Resources: Colleges and universities have a lot of different resources available. Whether its career services, academic services or a professor, reach out to specialists in your desired field! Many career service offices offer one-on-one meetings, but also partner with employers to bring industry related experience onto the campus. For example, Boston University and Bentley University host mock interview days. Employers meet with students on campus and conduct interviews as they normally would if the student was to interview with that company. At the end of the interview, feedback is provided to the candidate. It’s a great way to prepare for an interview as well as learn about the organization that employer is from as well.
3. Network…but not just when you need something: Connecting with recruiters, HR professionals and hiring managers is a great first step towards landing an internship or full time job for that matter. Referrals for jobs often come from strong connections, which sometimes take a while to build. Continue to reach out and stay in touch with members of your professional circle before, during and after your job search.
4. Follow Up! When meeting with the students recently, some great questions have been asked. Many questions focused on the idea of follow up after interviews. Rule of thumb, safer to send a quick “thank you” than not at all. Whether it’s an informational conversation with an employer to understand more about the company or a phone interview, a thank you email is great to send out. After in-person interviews, follow up with a thank you email as well as a good ole fashion handwritten note. A little note will go a long way.
There are a lot of innovative companies hiring right now and looking for the right talent. Finding a summer internship has become a competitive market. Starting the internship search out right and beginning to grow your network may even help you land your first full time job. While your internship search can be a lot to juggle while completing school work, it’s still an exciting time…so enjoy it!
