Are you about to start your internship? If you are anything like me, you are probably stressing about it. How will you find an internship? What if no one will hire you? What if you won’t like your internship? To hopefully take away some of the application stress, I have decided to note down some tricks for applying for and finding an internship.
- Brainstorm: What position and company would you be interested in?
Before applying for an internship, you first want to consider what kind of position (marketing, sales, social media, HR, etc.) you want to work in. Also, think about what type of company you want to work in. Do you want to work in a start-up? Or do you want to work in a big corporate organization? Whatever you are looking for, brainstorming might be a smart idea. This way – when you start looking for internships – you can narrow down the search, and you won’t be too overwhelmed.
- Don’t procrastinate!
Applying for an internship and finding one takes some time. Therefore, it is wise to start applying for internships at least two months before your internship starts. As you apply for multiple positions, you’ll have to send numerous motivation letters, which always need to be adjusted to the company’s wants and needs. Other companies might want you to answer a few questions about yourself.
Keep in mind that once you have sent out your application, it might take a while for the company to get back to you. If everything worked out in your favor, they offered you an interview with them. But again, scheduling an interview can take time; there might even be multiple rounds of interviews.
- The Interview
Have you been invited to an interview? Congratulations, you are one step closer to finding an internship! The interview is a vital step in the decision process and is an opportunity for the company to get to know you better and see if you are the right fit. At the same time, it is also an opportunity to learn more about the company and see if it is the right fit for you. The interview process was probably the step I was stressed the most about, so here are some tips on how to prepare for an interview:
- Research the company.
- What kind of work environment does the company have?
- What are the values of the company?
- Is it a B2B company or a B2C? What kind of clients do they have? What is their target audience?
- Most importantly, what exactly is the company doing?
- Think about the following:
- What qualifies you to work in that position?
- What have you learned in the past that can help you in that position?
- What are your strength and weaknesses?
- Why do you want to work at that company specifically?
- Why are you the perfect fit for the company?
- Do you have past experiences in the field you would be working in? If so, what?
- Make notes when preparing for an interview!!
I hope that these tips will come in useful. Lastly, I want to mention that you WILL find something in the end, even if it might take a while. Companies are always looking for interns, and keep in mind that they will also benefit from interns! Good luck to you all! You can do it! 🙂
P.S: Here is a video of the company (Straker Translations Ltd. in Amsterdam, I can highly recommend completing an internship here!) I completed my internship at! 🙂