How to Find an Internship in College
Internships are a great way to gain experience in the workforce without needing a ton of advanced skills. As I’m approaching my senior year of college, there’s a lot of pressure to find an Internship in college before I graduate.
As an English major, this is easier said than done. Luckily, there are a lot of publications in my area, and my school makes it easy to get credit for internships. A killer internship can help you earn major resume points! Whether you just started classes or you’re preparing to graduate, it’s never too early or too late to find an internship in college.
Where to Find Internships in College?
It can be overwhelming when you first decide you want to do an internship. How do you even find them? Internships aren’t usually found in the same places as part-time jobs, so you have to know where to look.
There are two main places I would recommend you look for internships: your school and online.
Your school career department likely has a list of internships available for each semester, so it’s totally worth stopping in there and speaking with someone about your options. Also, check with the department head for your major. For example, the English department at my college has a number of internships available around the community each semester.
A lot of companies list their openings online, and there’s a number of resources for finding listings. Here are some good places to check:
Perfect Your Resume
A lot of college students are worried that their resume isn’t strong enough. Here are some tips for creating a resume that stands out!
- Keep your education on the top of your resume. As a student, your education is your most valuable asset. Since you are applying for an entry-level internship, odds are your employer understands that you don’t have an extensive amount of work history.
- Include any special positions or awards you’ve won at your university. These are important!
- Make your unrelated jobs work for you! For example, if you worked at a coffee shop part-time this spring, include how that taught you to work well under pressure.
- Do you have any unusual hobbies or experiences? For example, I’ve traveled to 25 countries and you better bet I list that on my resume!
- Include your blog if you have one! Having a blog is a great way to share your skills and even make money online in college! Check out my guide for setting up a blog without any fancy skills.
Prepare For Your Interview
The interview is your chance to shine and show what you’ve got when you’re trying to find an Internship in college! Don’t stress about not having enough experience, because as long as you’re willing to learn you’re golden!
Approach the job interview from the perspective of the employer! Express what you can bring to the company, not what the company can do for you. For example, don’t blabber on about how this is such a great opportunity for you. Rather, talk about how you will bring your creativity and problem-solving skills to this internship. This is honestly such a game-changer.
Make Your Own College Internship
If you can’t find an Internship in college that offers everything you were hoping for, consider making your own. This is what I found worked best for me.
Since I love blogging and freelance writing, I worked with my school’s English department to earn credit for the articles I am posting weekly on the internet.
If you’re interested in marketing, you can offer services to local businesses. If you’re interested in accounting, see if you can shadow a local office. Do your own thing. You never know what you might learn about yourself.
Get a Job
If you’re not having any success getting an internship in college, it’s still worth getting a job. Working online in college was the best way for me to make money, but any side-hustle will get the job done.
If you’re worried about your college schedule getting in the way, why not freelance in college or look for a flexible job online? If you can’t work online, a part-time job in your college town or on campus can also be a great fit.
While you might not get as much hands-on experience related to your career choice, you’ll still gain valuable skills that matter to future employers. I feel like a lot of students place too much value on internships. Unfortunately, unpaid (or low-paid) internships aren’t always affordable depending on your financial situation.
Future employers want to see that you’re a go-getter and that you’re professional. No matter what job you have will reflect highly on your ambition.
Find an Internship in College with These Tips
Are you looking to find an internship in college? It can be more challenging than it sounds to find the right gig for your experience and needs. Luckily, it’s not the be-all-end-all of your college experience.
Try these tips above and keep trying. Sometimes you’ll need to apply for a few semesters or get creative to see real results. Either way, your hard work will pay off as long as you’re willing to put in the work towards what you want.
What would be your dream internship?
