Tips to Land Your Internship

An Internship is a time for you to shine. You find an internship that fits what you are interested in with a business and you learn, train, and get direction, or a job opportunity from it. Some are even paid. If you’re a North Central University student then most likely you have to have a semester’s worth of an internship to graduate. Here are some tips on finding your internship and how to get the most of it:

1. Be Open-Minded and Practical

Remember you’re a student. If you are full-time, don’t pick an internship that has more than 20 hours a week. Summer internships are also a possibility.

Some high-profile internships will be in high demand and in high competition. Consider internships with lower profiles to gain many more opportunities. Your internship doesn’t have to be big and grand!

2. Ask Your Resources

As a college student or recent graduate, you have access to so many resources. Your professors, staff, alumni, friends at school, etc., all want to help you find and land an internship that fits you. Especially if you’re an NCU student, professors are just waiting for you to ask them for connections or opportunities. But remember, they probably get asked to do things for students very often. A pro tip would be to get them a coffee when you ask. It’ll show that you value them and appreciate their help. Be on the lookout for people to talk to about internships and then look into those opportunities, don’t put it off.

3. Get Ready for Your Interview

Even before the interview,  make sure your resume and cover letter are nearly perfect. NCU has a tool called “Tutor.com” where you can submit your resume and cover letter and get great edits/feedback within a day or two. Otherwise, ask a professor to look it over or an alumni/friend you trust. THEN prepare for your interview. 

As you wait for businesses to contact you for an interview, be prepared yourself. Look up common interview questions and type out your answers. People have even brought their answer sheets to the interview just in case they desperately couldn’t remember their answer. The most important tip to give is to just be yourself. It is vital that you are comfortable, be yourself and just have a get-to-know-you conversation with the interviewer. And please have questions prepared to ask! Practice a mock interview with a friend or professor if you’ve never had a real interview before.