Kshitij, a determined final-year student was on a quest to kickstart his career. He was actively looking for an internship but was only met with frustration and rejection. Through trial and turbulence, he learned how to get a first internship. Finally, he secured an internship, and what began as an unexpected path transformed into a valuable learning journey, teaching him the true power of internships. Learn from his experience, unraveling the challenges he faced, the lessons he learned, and the transformative impact he had through his internship.
How to score an internship?
Research Your Options
It is important to be proactive and not wait until someone corners you and holds an intervention to start looking up for internship opportunities. Especially when it is so much easier to find opportunities these days. So, explore different industries and fields of interest which can either align with your career goals or your interest. You can explore different recruitment groups on Facebook such as Sharing Opportunities, Intern Nepal, InternSathi, etc. If you already have a company in mind you can go through their websites or social media platform to see if they have any vacancies.
Use your College’s career services
If you have yet to discover the multitude of benefits offered by your college’s career services, now is the time to take action. Colleges have dedicated departments and offices that provide students and alumni with complete help in their professional development. These services are essential in assisting students with making the transition from the classroom to the working world. They have external partnerships with different organizations, looking to fill up the available spots with students and freshers.
Tap into your Network
To build your professional career, it is very important to tap into your network, which could be classmates who have done internships or who are involved in different organizations. Reach out to your mentors, alumni, and professor who might have industry knowledge and industry friends. You have to learn the importance of attending networking events, and career fairs early on because they play a huge role in building networks and opening doors to different opportunities.
Polish you CV
CV is normally one page which is why it is important to highlight only relevant information. Add your education and experiences (if you have any) with the timeframe. At times you can also tailor your CV in accordance with the specific intern position requirements. You can use the free templates from Canva and resume.io to make it more appealing for recruiters.
Enhance your communication skills
Your first point of contact with recruiters is through emails which is why it is important to learn email etiquette to make your first impression. Unfortunately, it is where students and freshers are negligent and only focus on the CV. However knowing proper email etiquette is essential since it shows that you are professional, pay attention to details, and respect the other person’s time.
Interview preparations
Always research the company you are applying for before the interview. Take time to go through their websites and learn about the company’s mission, values, and some of the recent projects. It will show your willingness to work in the company. And also go through some basic interview questions before you go in for the interview.
Follow-up
Follow up with the company after the initial interview and send a thank you email to express your appreciation. This will reiterate your interest to work with the company. You can make another follow-up after a reasonable timeframe to check the application status.
Although the process of landing an internship might occasionally be difficult and frustrating, keep in mind that setbacks are an essential part of the process. Keeping up your resolve and moving on is crucial because every experience and effort increases your growth on both a personal and professional level. Embrace the lesson learned along the way, and remember that persistence and determination will eventually lead to an ideal opportunity.