Having an internship during your college career is luckily a requirement at William Peace University. Not only does having an internship look great post-college but most of the time those internships can turn into jobs. When applying for an internship you should always start by making sure your resume is a representation of yourself and your achievements. Your resume shouldn’t be paragraphs but bullet points that make it easy for the hiring person to read and understand. If and when you get contacted by the hiring person the following things should be taken into consideration before the interview is conducted:
- Research the company. Make sure you know what the company does, because most of the time the first question they will ask is “why this company?”
- Have prepared experiences. In the interview process, you will want to share experiences that most relate to the job description. Also, don’t be afraid to brag about yourself and the achievements you’ve accomplished. People like seeing someone who takes pride in their hard work.
- Dress for success. You don’t want the interviewer to remember you by the giant earrings or saggy pants you had on but by your personality and skills. Wearing a suit is always a go-to for interviews, being dressed up is always better than being dressed down.
- Know the panel. Having a LinkedIn is a great way to research other professionals and also make you available to research. A LinkedIn profile is like having an interactive online resume that you can update and enhance throughout your college career.
- Know your resume. Most people forget to look over their resume before going to the interview, but remember the interviewer will only have your resume to reference your skills. Also don’t forget to bring several copies of your resume and writing samples if the job description requires them.
- Follow-up. If you don’t already have the interviewer’s email information, ask for it. Most likely they’ll give you their business card. As soon as you get home from the interview write a short follow-up email thanking them for their time and appreciation of the opportunity.
If you’re having trouble finding an internship that fits you and your major, contact your advisor or professor that you have a good relationship with. One of the great things about WPU is that there are so many staff members here who are willing to help you. The career services center in the main building is a great office to visit if you want to do a mock interview or if you’re having trouble tuning your resume. The greatest piece of advice I could give is to make connections while you’re in college. Whether it is connecting with alumni or speaking with a professor it is always helpful to get a foot in the door and William Peace University is a wonderful place to start making those connections and get a helping hand in starting your career path.