How to Find and Land an Internship
Are you currently in the process of searching and looking for internships?
If you are then you know the process can be stressful, discouraging, and exhausting but we all have to go through it. If you're trying to gain more experience and see what your future career field is like then getting an internship will be the best bet. I really wanted to write about my own personal internship experience and give you some advice on how to make the process less dreadful.
My Internship Experience
I've recently gone through the accounting recruiting process this past semester. I applied to a lot of public accounting firms and only received two interviews. One was for the summer and the other was for the spring. I was able to ace the first interview and was granted a second interview with each one but wasn't offered a position. This was one stressful period. I would spend hours checking my email, applying for internships, and just waiting. I hated the waiting part. I would often get down on myself and compare myself to others. I would feel less than because I didn't receive as many interviews or even an offer but once I got out of that position. I started to trust in my own path. I was so worried about getting an offer from an accounting firm or any company for that matter that I didn't look or broaden my horizon. If you know me then you know that I have a passion for writing ( hint: the reason I started this blog). I was fortunate to receive an internship to write for a financial literacy blog for the summer. The funny thing is I received it through a friend. You know the saying " it's not what you know but who you know". I didn't interview for the position. The owner just looked at my blog and felt like I would be a perfect fit especially since I was an accounting major. I knew what I was going to be writing about for the most part since I've taken plenty of finance classes before. I'm so grateful that I've been granted this position because I get to combine my passion with my degree.
Internship Advice Do's and Don'ts
Do apply - Apply to as many companies for that specific field that you're interested in and broaden your horizons.If you're wanting to branch out and see what else you can get then do that. Don't forget to update your resume and cover letter. it's always good to tailor your resume and cover letter to the job you're applying for.
Don't get down on yourself - If you're not receiving interviews or offers. Don't get too discouraged because the right internship will come at the right time. Have faith
Do Your Research - Every time you receive an interview with a company make sure that you look on their website, watch their videos, read their blog because you will need to have something to talk about besides yourself in the interview. Also, recruiters love to hear what you know about their company.
Don't Overthink - The part that sucks the most about the recruiting process is the waiting part. Some companies might not ever email you back concerning your status. If you're like me then you would rather receive an email that contains bad news than no email at all. During this waiting period, make sure you're not glued to your phone. Go out and have fun. If it's meant to be, it will be.
These are the main tips I would say that really helped me through the process. It's a tough process and we all hate it but if we can get through this we can get through anything. Keep your head up and keep reaching for the stars. Everything you hope for will eventually fall into place but until then enjoy the journey.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE RECRUITING PROCESS?