4 Things to Help Find an Internship

The process of finding the perfect internship is achieved using one of the many effective strategies. Using classified ads, attending career fairs and networking are a few of the most effective options. The most productive searches will be time-consuming and involve a lot of planning and research. Let’s take a look at four things to consider in the process of finding an internship:

Start early

One of the things to check early is the typical deadline for the preferred internship. There are many industries that like to complete the process by the start of November. It is often possible to check with the career services office at your college to see which ones are likely to recruit and hire early. Also, the ability to start the search early gives more time to connect with professionals in the preferred industry.

Network

Start by talking with career counselors, college advisors, friends and family about the many different internship options. It may be possible to get involved with informational interviews at college to help gain useful experience and information on what career path may be right for you. Also, the college may organize a networking event that can include online events, conferences, or workshops on a wide range of subjects. By getting involved with networking it is possible to learn new skills and meet the people who can help achieve the desired internship.

Career fairs

Many career fairs take place during the winter break, which can give a perfect opportunity to meet top employers. A company will attend these fairs to screen and recruit the best students that are interested in an internship. Before attending a career fair, it is worth getting prepared. This may involve preparing a short introduction speech that can outline your motivation, experience, interests and skills. Also, try to get the relevant contact information to make it possible to follow-up with any company that showed an interest.

Direct contact

Simply being proactive and contacting a few companies in the industry of interest can be very productive. Visit in-person or telephone a short list of companies within a practical geographic area. Similar to the career fair, it will benefit to have a short introduction prepared and the reason for wanting to work for a particular company. This type of direct contact will likely be more successful if you are able to focus on summer jobs. Also, there may the option to apply for resort or camp openings to help improve communication and interpersonal skills. Additionally, a temp agency can be a useful resource for finding a company in need of short-term workers.