Everyone recommends finding an internship when you start college (or even during high school), but it can be awfully difficult to obtain one. The younger you are, the slimmer your options are, which is why it’s important to apply right.
A Grade Ahead does not forget about these older students who may be thinking about beginning this search, offering enrichment programs for those in 7th grade, 8th grade, and high school!
Prepare Your Application
At A Grade Ahead, students build important math, English, and science skills that will boost your internship chances. You want to show off these skills by preparing a strong resume, cover letter, and portfolio.
Resume
This is likely the most common advice, but workshop that resume! Make sure you use strong vocabulary, check for typos and inconsistencies, and format the page logically. Even if your past jobs don’t directly correlate to your career interests, put a positive spin on them. Emphasize the soft and hard skills you’ve developed from those experiences.
Modify your resume for each position. You don’t need to dismantle it, but consider rewording your job descriptions to emphasize the skills you have that are the most relevant for the specific position you’re applying for.
Cover Letter
It’s easy to apply for jobs that only require a resume, but getting comfortable writing cover letters will greatly increase your chances. A cover letter demonstrates your interest in a specific company. That means research them! Writing a generic cover letter will only waste your time.
Portfolio
Curate a diverse portfolio. Some internship applications will request a portfolio to demonstrate your capability with whatever you’re applying to do. For a future editor, this can mean essays, short stories, features, et cetera. For IT, perhaps you’ll include a website you designed or samples of code. Whatever you choose, your portfolio should show relevant skills.
Personal projects are awesome, of course, but valuable portfolio pieces can also come from school assignments. Update past school projects to suit your portfolio, and you’re golden. Most importantly, ensure that each piece contributes something unique to your portfolio. There’s no reason to have three pieces that fulfill the same purpose. Show off how versatile you are!
Build a Public Profile
Professional Networks
If you’re searching for an internship, you ought to have a strong presence on at least one job search platform — although the more, the better. This’ll come in handy when it’s time to apply, and it can be helpful for networking as well.
Blog
Consider starting a blog that relates to your career interests! This can be a super fun way to share your knowledge, ask questions, and impress potential employers. On A Grade Ahead’s blog, we post about all kinds of cool topics, which could give you an idea of how you might like your blog to look. You can also experiment with personal websites, professional Instagram accounts, YouTube, and so on. Whatever you feel suits you!
Cast a Wide Net
Don’t be picky…
Unfortunately, not every internship will be exactly what you’re looking for. To increase your chances of success, extend your applications beyond what you most want or specialize in. If the internship exists in the same field as your career interests, apply. Prioritize what makes the most sense for you, but sometimes you may have to accept something less exciting because it’ll help you get where you want to be. A step in the right direction is better than staying stationary.
Multiple Platforms
Check everywhere! Platforms like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Indeed don’t always share the same job and internship opportunities. You may find a great position on Handshake that isn’t listed on any other platform. The same goes for the other platforms.
Specific companies also have internship opportunities that are easiest to find on their own websites. Find companies that align with your career interests and keep track of their internship openings.
If you’re struggling, look for something local, especially something through your school. You may have a leg up over the non-local applicants.
The internship hunt sometimes takes a long time, so don’t feel disheartened. Every month, you learn more and become an even stronger candidate!
What do you think? Are you starting to look for internships? How’s your search going so far? What resources have you used to build your resume and cover letter? Let us know in the comments!
Are you wanting even more when it comes to education for your child? Take a free assessment, or call or visit an academy near you to get started on a fun and unforgettable educational adventure with A Grade Ahead today!
Author: Grace Heberling, Teacher at A Grade Ahead
