The Hunt For Internships

A Screen Shot of the job search engine on UWO Campus

Internships are one of the most prized jobs that a college kid can land. It’s not a full-time job, but it gets you enough experience to hit the ground running once you get that professional job. The problem? It seems like some people don’t even know where to start looking or are too narrow minded when looking. I write this assuming you have already begun the search or are considering it. If you’re not, I don’t care if your a freshman or otherwise, you should start as soon as possible because it is never too early. So, with all that said let me give you a few quick tips when you go out looking for internships.

1. Be Open-Minded

Never pigeonhole yourself into thinking you have to have a major or job specific internship. For some majors the amount of internships and space in those places is very small. There are always tons of opportunities out there and your college should have resources for you to take advantage of. At my college they have what’s called Titan Jobs where employers dump their jobs/internships in and students now have access to thousands of jobs to look for. Right now I am working in a marketing internship while being a Journalism major. I found my niche in their taking over their social media sites and developing that, which is relevant not only to my Media Studies emphasis but it also gives me something unique to bring to wherever I work. It’s not the ideal internship, but it’s a great resume builder and no matter what you take you will learn something.

2. Apply Everywhere

This goes along with being open-minded, meaning don’t be a prude and think you’re better than some place. Let’s go through this scenario: You’re a marketing major and only shop at high-end clothing stores. So, when Target opens up a marketing management internship you turn up your nose at it for being a “bargain shop” and someone else gets that job. Fast-forward a few years and you both apply for a marketing position at American Eagle and that other person beats you out because they have that experience already. My point being is you as a college student have no leverage coming out of college no matter how smart you are, you can have a 4.0 GPA but get beat out by a kid with a 3.1 because he put in the work and found the internships. Also expand you’re comfort zone because like with my internship you can always learn something and from what I’ve learned in interviews and applications is that employers love people who are multi-faceted. Even as a journalism major a marketing internship will help me understand publication and circulation at a newspaper and so on. Nothing is ever “above you” and everything has something applicable to your interests.

3. It’s never too early

My last piece of advice is that it is never too early to start applying. Even as a freshman or sophomore, you have as good of a shot as the next guy if you know how to work an interview. Unfortunately, even if you kill it in an interview you might not get the job because of a lack of experience but that employer will likely remember you and you only increase your chances next year if you apply again. Sometimes enthusiasm can make up for the lack of experience if you show how much you want the job and how ready you are to learn anything and everything. Plus if you never apply, you don’t even give yourself a chance to get that position. I am a sophomore and the youngest in my intern group, but I went it, proved my worth, and got it because I wanted it.

Simply stated, there is no reason to wait around and hope something falls into your lap because it won’t. Internships, paid or unpaid, are the best possible thing in college. You can join all the student orgs and work as many jobs as you want, which you should don’t get me wrong, but unless you have that professional experience finding a job straight out of college is going to be difficult. I like to see and hear people succeed, so I give you this advice from my personal experience and I think I’m moderately successful (3.0 GPA, job, internship is good right?)