10 Tips Every Freshman Should Follow for an Internship

By Ankita Upadhyay on September 29, 2015

Given today’s competitive industries, landing a worthwhile internship is tougher than ever. Now add being a freshman into the mix – it’s basically impossible, right? Not necessarily. Acquiring an internship doesn’t come easy, but can be a lot less hard if you look in the right places and put in hard work. Here are 10 tips that will help you find an amazing internship as a freshman.

1) Attend events.

Going to career fairs, webinars, panels, etc. will give you a chance to network with staff and employers from companies you are interested in interning for. This is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and ask questions in order to gain a better insight as to what the internship entails. You can also ask for pointers on applying, the time commitment, the interview process, and whatever else you feel is important to learn about the internship.

Image via https://goo.gl/8d6w6K

2) Research and acquaint yourself.

Make sure you thoroughly research your desired internship, as this will go a long way during interviews. However, make sure your knowledge of the internship goes beyond content of the homepage of the potential company’s website–try to actually use the product or service. Using a certain company’s product, website, app, etc. will not only display preparedness, but also convey genuine interest to the interviewer/employer.

3) Visit the career center.

If you are completely lost and don’t know how to write a résumé, seek references, or even find an internship, head on over to your college’s career center.  The career center will help you find relevant internships based on your interests and major, advise you on acing job interviews, provide résumé building workshops, and really just answer any questions you may have regarding the internship process.

Image via https://goo.gl/0U01SV

4) Keep up your grades.

Even though you are a freshman and probably don’t have much data on your transcript yet, it is still important to maintain your gpa. For instance, if you are applying for an internship for the spring quarter/semester, your employer might request your fall grades to make sure you are qualified, capable of prioritizing your time, and able to stay on top of both your schoolwork and the internship.

Image via http://goo.gl/0BKxBa

5) Talk to your professors and TAs.

Connecting with your professors and TAs after class, during office hours, or during discussions will help you perform better in class and maybe even earn yourself a letter of recommendation. Internships often require a recommendation, a respectable GPA, or both. Alongside talking to your professors and TAs about the content covered in class, feel free to ask them about what internships and opportunities lie for someone with your skills and knowledge–after having (hopefully) noticed you in discussions and during office hours, they will provide you with worthwhile advice and a great reference.

Image via http://goo.gl/qjRj7v

 6) Join clubs and online groups.

Get involved at clubs and organizations in your college. This allows you to gain experience, leadership positions, and network with other members and club officers. Acquiring a leadership position or just being an active member of a club will look great on your résumé since it shows you are committed and ready to take on responsibilities. Also consider joining your local internships and jobs group on Facebook. This is an effective use of social media, since you can post about internship openings and directly communicate with recruiters who post offers.

Image via http://goo.gl/Z984Hy

7) Stay relevant.

 Applying for numerous internships in hopes of landing just one is completely fine. However, make sure your internship is relevant to your major, hobbies, or something that you are passionate about doing. For instance if your dream job is to be a software engineer at Google, apply for an internship at a tech company. This will give you a good sense of what expertise and skills will be required when applying for an actual job.

Image via https://goo.gl/tmZI2j

8) Apply ahead of time.

Applications for summer internships often open during fall while winter internships may open in the summer–whatever the season, it is best to apply as soon as possible. Applications are sometimes accepted on a rolling basis, which means you should have your résumé, recommendations, and other documents ready as you apply. Filling out an application early depicts promptness and prevents procrastination–the only thing worse than being denied from an internship is not filling it out in the first place.

Image via http://goo.gl/lDJsrL

9) Don’t worry about money.

Paid or unpaid, an internship is bound to give you experience, transferable skills, and networking opportunities. Go for the internships that you truly feel passionate about and believe will help you hone your skills, increase your knowledge, and expand your career network.

10) Get yourself out there.

 Make yourself known professionally. Join websites such as LinkedIn, where you can list your skills, professional experience, and upload your résumé. LinkedIn helps users establish connections with colleagues, coworkers, and potential employers–people who can really help boost your professional career.

It is important to keep in mind that rejections are perfectly okay. Don’t lose hope, as you are just a freshman with numerous opportunities ahead of you. Just remember to dedicate 100% effort in everything you do, work smart, and be diligent–recruiters will definitely notice you. Good luck!

 

 

 

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format