Having an internship is crucial for young graduates and current college students to get their foot in the door in the career they aspire to work in. As chilly and gloomy as it is these winter months, summer is not too far away and many employers will start posting internship job listings sooner rather than later. So, in order to get ready for your summer internship search, start preparing now while you still have the time. You’ll thank yourself later in March when deadlines approach.
Prepare now by asking yourself what kinds of internships you want to apply for. There are so many types of internships out there in various types of organizations that it can all be overwhelming if you don’t have a clear picture in your mind of where exactly you see yourself working. Do you want to work in a big corporate office or a smaller office? What location would you prefer? Do you want a paid or unpaid position? There are many factors to consider, so the earlier you set your preferences the better off you’ll be when the internships are posted.
As a way to keep your summer internship search organized, once you’ve found out what kind of internships you want to apply for, start making a list. Making a list will help you when you start applying for internships so you can keep track of which one’s you’ve submitted your application to and which ones are pending. The more organized you make yourself during the internship search the less stressed out you’ll be when jobs are posted.
Take this time to also clear up your internet presence online. Employers will google your name so you should beat them to the search. If you see any bad images of you pop up or embarrassing blog posts, then take care of them now. You can do this by either deleting pictures or comments or re-setting your privacy settings on your social media accounts. You can also strengthen your online presence by following important professionals in your desired field on twitter and blogging about a relevant industry topic.
As with any job search, having an updated resume and cover letter are essential. Starting to prepare for your internship now gives you plenty of time to have your resume revised. Give it the careful attention it deserves before you send it to your future employer to look over.
Have you ever wished you started your internship search sooner? If you had a second chance, what would you have done differently? Let us know in the comments section below.
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by Klearchos Kapoutsis
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