My name is Maddy Lim, and this blog is about how I got my internship. First and foremost, I was aware that my internship would take place during the first semester of my third year. A five-month internship looked like the ideal option because I assumed it would be considerably more difficult to find a company searching for only three months of work. This meant that I was looking to work from September until January.
I optimized my LinkedIn page at the end of May by updating my work experience, replacing my profile photo with a recent photo of myself, and so on. I would search for internships on LinkedIn using the keywords marketing and communication and Amsterdam as the location. I had good luck right away because the first internship I applied for invited me in for an interview and even offered me the position. Since it was still early, I decided to double-check with the internship coordinator to see if the position qualified for the program. Unfortunately, this first internship did not match the requirements because it was primarily focused on practical work rather than academics, and it was in the hospitality sector with little relation to the discipline of communication. It was unfortunate that my first internship did not work out, but I didn’t let that worry me. Following that, I continued applying to internships, mainly ones on LinkedIn that allowed me to apply immediately because I still had plenty of time, so I chose the easy route. I applied to about ten different companies and had five separate interviews over a month and a half (mid-May to the start of July).
There were two companies where I interviewed through video calls and three companies where I interviewed in person. The in-person interviews included questions about what I wanted to get out of the organization, along with a short case that I had to complete. It is important to recognize that rejection is common during this time, but it is normal, and it should not discourage you because it simply means that the right company for you will find you in the end. The rejection emails typically acknowledged me for my time and informed me that they had chosen someone who was a better fit for the company, I thanked them and moved on.
I got a good feeling after my interview with Yource, an Amsterdam-based company that helps passengers obtain compensation and refunds for delayed or cancelled flights. This was reaffirmed an hour after I left the building when I received a call from my soon-to-be boss saying they would love to have me on the team. A few days later, I received emails from other companies wanting me to schedule interviews, but I knew at this point that I was quite satisfied with my position as a marketing intern at Yource.
To summarize, I began my search in mid-May and had found an internship that I was thrilled with and excited to begin by mid-July. There were some documents to fill out after that, including the preliminary internship check and my work contract. My internship was accepted shortly after, and I began preparing for this new chapter!
The photo below is one of the dogs at work, so one of the best parts!
