How to Begin your Internship Search!
How do I get started with my internship search?
Many students over the past couple of weeks have come into the office and simply asked “How do I get started with my internship search”? Since many of you reading this blog could be asking the very same question, I thought I would give you a few tips that will help you to get started.
The first step in this process would be to determine your area of interest and there are a few ways that you can do this. I would recommend completing your profile and self-assessment in Career Beam. Career Beam is a great resource available to you as a Babson student that will be a great help to you through this process. When you are assessing your interests, it is important to reflect back on your past experiences and identify what your likes/dislikes and strengths/weaknesses are.
Once you’ve identified the area that you would like to try and get an internship in, you will now need to do some research. This research will help you learn more about this potential area of interest. Also, the more you can educate yourself on the industry; the better off you will be when it comes time for applying and interviewing. You can gain knowledge on the industry by reading industry blogs, utilizing research guides such as the Vault Career Guide and talking with people in the industry. You will begin to be able to create a list of companies that you are interested in. Use this company list to do look up alumni through LinkedIn and the Babson Alumni Directory. Through LinkedIn you can usually see what the alums career path has been, what did he/she do right from Babson to get where they are today? Once you have identified what area you would like to gain more experience in, then you are probably ready to move on to the next step in the process.
Get your resume ready! You are going to need a good resume that reflects your skills and strengths through a combination of your curricular work, previous internship experiences, leadership experiences and campus/community involvement. Make sure to come to CCD and work with a Career Adviser—our Career Advisers have been aligned by industry, so you will be able to meet with someone that can help you tailor your resume towards that specific area of interest. It is also a great benefit to have your resume reviewed by people in the industry. There are several programs that you can take advantage of on-campus (Employer in Residence, Resume Critique Nights, etc.) and you can also network on your own to meet with people in the industry and have your resume reviewed. Once your resume is all set to go, begin looking up job opportunities at the companies you are targeting. My advice to you is to use a variety of resources including Career Connections, direct company websites, LinkedIn, job boards such as Indeed & internships.com, Blogs. Once you find opportunities that are of interest, submit your resume and do some appropriate follow-up. Follow-up may include a note to the recruiter or reaching to alumni from the firm if you are looking to make that type of connection.
Remember- an internship is not a final decision for your career. The purpose of an internship is to allow you to gain some experience in an industry and particular area that if of interest to you. It is an exciting opportunity for you to try something new and learn as much as you can!