What is one of the biggest things recruiters look for when trying to hire college graduates? INTERNSHIPS. Have you done one, two or multiple!? What skills have you acquired? Before you can answer these questions make sure to land the internship first! Here’s some friendly tips and tricks to make sure you do just that.
Research the company…
Always start with knowing the background of the company you plan to intern for because it could lead to further career opportunities. Also, you don’t look ridiculous when they start asking you questions about the vision and mission of the company.
Have a unique resume…
Make sure you stand out! You want to get noticed and a creative resume is just the start, trust me. But be careful on how you submit your resume and cover letter though. Uploading a resume and cover letter should always be a .doc file (online systems cannot score or rank PDF files, and some cannot read MS Office Suite .docx files). E-mail applications need to be saved in .doc or .docx and email in PDF.
P.S. You can also steal a layout and recreate it to be your own. (This is not my resume, please steal!)
Dress the part…
Nothing like a bad first impression to make these companies turn their heads. Shower, comb your hair, brush your teeth and dress to impress because it is all about faking it until you make it when you really want the position.
Connect with the recruiters…
Recruiters see so many students in a given day so make an impact but talking to them as an actual person. Ask them how their day is going or what they think of the function they’re at before leading into why you deserve the position. This also helps for you to make a more personal impression that lasts longer.
Perfect your LinkedIn profile…
By now you should have your LinkedIn profile in tip top shape because that’s the first place recruiters are going look on social media. Clean it up, look professional and SELL YOURSELF.
NETWORK…
Put yourself in front of the recruiters by meet as many people as possible therefore you can help build your network to help you land the internship. Remember: it’s all about who you know!
Follow Up…
Following up can be one the most beneficial aspect to getting the internship . Again, it reminds the recruiter who you are and shows dedication but don’t send a million phone calls and emails in one day. Follow up and wait for a response.
LAND THE INTERNSHIP!
CONGRATULATIONS! You landed a killer internship but….
Ask anyone who has ever done an internship before, they may not be what you expect but they can lead to great opportunities once you graduate just like….
