Hello, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Myriah and I am a copywriting intern for Imperfect Concepts. I would like to entertain the question: how do you get an internship? Let’s take it one step further, shall we? I’m going to outline the four step process to land your next internship (at least, I’m going to tell you how I did it).
Social Media:
I have always said that my generation is at the greatest advantage (my Generation is letter Z, but the general post-2000 outline of techno-teen still stands). We were born at or after social media was invented, so we, theoretically, know this technology better than our employers. The reason why this makes getting an internship easier is because, essentially, the skills you have been learning since you were young are the two things that employers are looking for right now. They want someone who knows the basic marketing and SEO techniques to reel people towards their company, and they want to be able to globalize and spread their business. So, when looking for an internship, be sure to highlight these areas on your resume. All that time on Facebook and Instagram can actually pay off.
Take a Variety of College Courses:
I did this one by accident, but my mistake can be your advantage. When I was in my first years of college, I, like every college student, didn’t know what I wanted to be. Because of this, I took a lot of strange and unusual courses. Two of the best courses I took (by complete accident), were Industrial Psychology and Creative Writing Workshop. These two courses blended into what will eventually become my career, and it made me extremely competitive as an intern. Take a lot of different classes, and learn everything you can!
Blog, Blog, Blog:
I was a skeptic of blogging at first. I remember those kids who laid on the campus lawn, who stared into their computers and thought they were better than everyone else (I think they call them hipsters now). However, blogging does not have to be just pretentious journaling. The way I write my blog is by posting professional writing that I have done for a grade in class. That way, I know it is fairly decent writing because it has had lots of eyes on it, and it shows some of my best work. There is such a thing as blog-shock, which occurs when you write a rant-y piece, post it on your blog, forget about it, and then nine months later you realize that an employer has read all about it. However, keep the pieces professional, but also keep them personable. You don’t want to just blend into the crowd. Add a quirky title or make the about me section really pop.
Never Say No:
This technique is hard to explain because I understand that people have high hopes and dreams, but you have to remember that it’s a gradual process to get to your dream-job. In today’s job market, it is almost impossible to get the job you want without at least three years of prior experience. That being said, never turn down an internship just because you don’t think it’s right for you. Job experience is valuable, and you aren’t going to be the first picked college grad for a company like Oprah Magazine (my dream job). Don’t pass the job offers by that say stuff like, “business writing for law firm,” just because you don’t like lawyers. Writing applications should be like watering the lawn, don’t miss a spot. Apply for anything and everything you can, and somebody will pick you up. After that point, never say no.
I hope this has been a helpful post to all those go-getters out there. It is important to get an internship. Forbes magazine said that it is the number 1. way to get a job after college–that is valuable.
Find internships through your school, or visit these sites: internships.com | snagajob.com | idealist.org | Experience.com | mediabistro.com
