10 Tips For Landing Your Dream Internship

The internship is a professional experience that offers a practical approach to students as per their career interests. As per the survey, 50% of internships result in full-time job offers, and graduates with paid internships are 34% more likely to get at least one job offer by graduation. So internships play a crucial role to help you land your dream job.

It is not only you who is hoping to get an internship in the industry while in college. Despite tough competition for such jobs, there are ways in which you can improve your chances of landing a position that provides you with the skills and experience that will enable you to succeed wherever you go. To find internships that match your career goals and interests is the first hard step; getting selected is the second. While applying for a position at a highly sought-after organization or company, it may be difficult to find an internship position.

Here, we’ll give you 10 tips that will help you in landing your dream internship.

1. Make Sure Your CV is Perfect  

As per the survey recruiter spend just 6 to 7 seconds to view your CV so make sure it’s worth enough to leave a lasting impact. It’s always a little tricky writing your first CV. While you’ll need a CV for your first internship and job application, you’re unsure what to include. Let’s be honest, there’s a lot to include. Consider what you have done over the years, including hobbies, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and part-time employment in addition to your academic qualifications. Are there any skills you possess that employers would benefit from knowing? It could range from researching and planning to create social media communities? List your key skills and describe how you’ve acquired and utilized each skill.

2. Research About the Organization

Make sure you research an organization before you write an application or attend an interview – who works there, what are their mission and vision, what priority do they seem to have? Also, look up yourself online – make sure your Facebook, LinkedIn, and other online presence are in a state of mind where a future boss would be comfortable seeing it. Get articles you wrote or a blog you keep updated on topics relevant to the internship you want.

3. Apply as Soon as Possible

It should be obvious that you should send your application before the deadline. Furthermore, you should pay attention to each detail when you work on your application; look over the instructions carefully and follow them accurately. Employers receive a lot of applications for internships – sometimes hundreds or even thousands – and making a great first impression is essential. Ensure you use a concise layout when creating your application.

4. Think of Great Questions to Ask 

When you act and sound just like the other guy, you can’t be better than him. Ask much more insightful questions than the other guy to make yourself stand apart. Asking questions offers the following advantages:

• It manifests your interest in working with the organization.
• It helps you to get information about the culture of the company.
• It proves to the interviewer that you are fit for this role.

5. Your LinkedIn Profile Should be Updated 

The LinkedIn profile of everyone searching for an internship should be updated to showcase their current experience, skills, and must be tailored as per the industry standards. To make your profile more noticeable add a description of your past experiences, the role you performed, the impact you created, and your learnings. Then you should proactively reach out to companies you are interested to work with. To get more information about the best practices to build your LinkedIn profile click here.

6. Decide Your Edge 

• What makes you an attractive candidate out of the thousands of students competing for a few positions? 
• Is there anything you have that others don’t, whether it’s an approach, a perspective, experience, or skill? 
• If they want to hire you, what can you do for the organization?

Try to get answers to these questions and find a skill or achievement, that separates you from the crowd and enhances your chances of landing in your dream internship.

7. Get the Most Out of Your Resources and Networks

After you’ve established what you’re looking for, get in touch with everyone you know who has connections in companies or workplaces that you are interested in. Connect with college career services, family, friends, or a past supervisor. Reach out on LinkedIn, ask for email introductions, and talk to friends who have completed their internship previously. A person who has done this before will be able to provide you with information and resources related to your interest.

8. Utilize Your Existing Relationships

In addition to building and nurturing new networks, one must never overlook the power of existing ones to land the internship of their dreams. Embrace the opportunity to interact and engage with your friends, family, professors, and others. Existing relationships are often the starting point for new and rewarding networks. To leverage what you already know, it is imperative to invest quality time in connecting with the people you already know. Networking, in general, is essential to maximizing your potential.

9. Be Clear About Your Objectives

Before starting any hard work, it is important to clearly define your goals. Identify the areas of operation you would be interested in applying for. Identify the top employers who offer internships in the area in which you want to intern. Identifying your interest areas and potential employers will help you decide where to apply.

10. Listen Carefully

Listening well is always a good skill to possess. Most applicants make the mistake of not listening and understanding what is asked of them. Be an attentive listener, know what is expected from your answer, and speak like an expert.  It is not only a skill of leaders to be a good listener, but it is a quality that will always benefit you as a person.