As any college grad will tell you, the job market is tough. Plunging headfirst into the market with little to no experience when people are getting laid off in record numbers is not exactly an easy thing to do.
Internships often equal stuffing envelopes, filing, and other mind-numbing tasks. I’ve had plenty of internships and have fortunately been quite lucky in escaping that fate. A lot of this probably has to do with where I worked—I never applied for an internship at a big company. Looking back, I don’t think this was as much intentional as it was closely reading the descriptions and wanting to work in an environment where I got do cool stuff and had a chance to showcase my skills.
I’ve had a number of people ask me how I got an internship at Wesabe and how I turned that into a full-time job. Here are my top twelve tips for doing just that:
Consider Applying at a Start-up
While working at a new company may not have the same name-brand appeal as working for an established company, start-ups are a lot leaner and chances are you’ll get to do much more “real” work. Also, because the company is trying to get its feet off the ground, the work you do makes an impact and the “big bosses” can see it. During my Wesabe internship, I interacted with the CEO (and most everyone else in the company) nearly every day, and attended company-wide meetings.
Be Crazy Anal About the Details
After I was hired for the internship, Debbie (our head of communications) told me that one of the reasons my résumé made it to the top of the initial pile was because I followed directions. When she filled out the intern request form at UC Berkeley (where I went to school), she could ask for just a résumé or a résumé and a cover letter, and asked for both. Believe it or not, she said that out of twenty-five candidates, I was the only one that sent both. Everyone else just sent a résumé. She also told me that she didn’t really care about the content of the cover letter—she just did this to see who was paying attention to her request.
Do Your Homework
Prior to your interview, research the company you want to work for (spend time on their website or see where their product is at in a store, read up on competitors, etc.). Take notes and keep all this information in one notebook. During your interview, give some thoughts or feedback that shows you know how to do research and have analytical skills. Ask your interviewer thoughtful questions and try to transform the interview into dialogue. This can be really, really hard, often because you’re so nervous.
To ease those nerves and help with prep, I would suggest brainstorming and then making a list of questions you have about your prospective position and the company. Keep these questions in the same notebook you’ve compiled your research notes in. Bring that in during your interview and ask those questions! You can also reference your research notes in your chat about the company and its competitors.
