Land that Internship Today

Land that Internship Today Photo by Garfield Anderssen via Flickr.comConnectionsBelieve it or not, but you have connections you may not know about. I highly recommend joining a networking social media, like LinkedIn, to help expand your professional network. This also helps you reach out to those alumni from your school who want to help you find a job/internship. Also, stop by your university’s career center, they can help get you in contact with the alumni that could have internships available for you.Social MediaThis is a key factor in whether or not you will land an interview for an internship. Many companies now have a contract with Facebook that grants them access to your profile, regardless if the privacy settings are on. I highly suggest cleaning up your Facebook or Twitter of anything that does not scream professional or your personality. You want to have your persona showcased in your social media, employers want to see the kind of person you are outside of work; however, there should be no pictures of you partying or statuses of you cursing anywhere on your profile.Interview ProcessSay you get a phone call and they would like you to come in for an interview, research the business and know what they stand for. People always make the common mistake to not research the company and walk in with no questions. You may be the one being interviewed, but you are also expected to interview the employer. Come up with questions for them, this will show you stand out and have a passion for working with them. Dress appropriately, I know this may sound like common sense but recent studies have found that people do not land their internship/job due to not wearing professional clothing. After the interview, write them a thank you letter, regardless if it went well or horribly. This shows professionalism and they will remember you, which will help in the future if they ever decide to hire you later on.Lastly, the most important thing to do is be yourself. Employers know when you are faking an attitude, they know when you may be twisting the truth a little; just don’t. Act as natural as you can, and remember to keep your wits and confidence about you. Confidence is the number one best characteristic employers look for. They want to hire someone who knows what they want to do and has a passion for it. Good luck with everything!