Part One // Part Two
It’s internship application season! College students
everywhere are gearing up and applying for internships left and right. In the
PR and marketing world, interning in college is pretty necessary. These are two
very competitive industries, and the right internship experience(s) will help
your resume stand out when you’re applying for your very first full-time
positions after college.
How does one land their dream internship? I completed 4
internships while I was in school and now I am hiring a team of summer interns
of my own, so it has been very enlightening being on both sides of the
interview process. Today, I want to talk about the steps you need to take
before the interview. Don’t be so quick to submit your resume – research the
company and spruce up your online image and resume first.
internships while I was in school and now I am hiring a team of summer interns
of my own, so it has been very enlightening being on both sides of the
interview process. Today, I want to talk about the steps you need to take
before the interview. Don’t be so quick to submit your resume – research the
company and spruce up your online image and resume first.
BEFORE YOU APPLY
Do your homework:
Research the company and the position before you apply. Google the company
address (or the city, if you can’t seem to pin down the exact location) and
have a plan on how you’re going to commute to the office. If you foresee that
commute being an issue, hold off on applying. Look carefully at the job
description. Do you fit the qualifications? Do you need a car for the position?
Is it paid/unpaid? How many days a week would you need to commit to the
position? Figure out if you would be able to commit to the position based on
the information provided. If you have any additional questions about the
internship, save them for the interview.
Research the company and the position before you apply. Google the company
address (or the city, if you can’t seem to pin down the exact location) and
have a plan on how you’re going to commute to the office. If you foresee that
commute being an issue, hold off on applying. Look carefully at the job
description. Do you fit the qualifications? Do you need a car for the position?
Is it paid/unpaid? How many days a week would you need to commit to the
position? Figure out if you would be able to commit to the position based on
the information provided. If you have any additional questions about the
internship, save them for the interview.
Fix up your resume:
Head to your university’s career center or ask a professor to review your
resume before you start applying for internships. I highly recommend keeping
your resume to one page. Employers have dozens of resumes to review, so keep
things brief and eliminate any unnecessary info/experiences that you don’t need. I
would eliminate the ‘objective’ section of your resume; you can explain your
career goals in your cover letter. Omit any jobs from high school unless they
are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Head to your university’s career center or ask a professor to review your
resume before you start applying for internships. I highly recommend keeping
your resume to one page. Employers have dozens of resumes to review, so keep
things brief and eliminate any unnecessary info/experiences that you don’t need. I
would eliminate the ‘objective’ section of your resume; you can explain your
career goals in your cover letter. Omit any jobs from high school unless they
are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Format, format,
format: Put your resume in a .PDF file. When you place your resume in a
.PDF file, it will look the same on every computer. I’ve had a ton of resumes
sent to me in .doc format and the entire layout was messed up when I opened it up
on my work computer.
format: Put your resume in a .PDF file. When you place your resume in a
.PDF file, it will look the same on every computer. I’ve had a ton of resumes
sent to me in .doc format and the entire layout was messed up when I opened it up
on my work computer.
Clean up your social
media: In the PR/Marketing industry, it is best to have a presence publically
on social networks to show employers that you’re savvy with social media. It is often the intern’s duty to
manage social media for a company, and you will need to demonstrate that you’re
proficient in various different platforms. Volunteer to be a social media
manager in a student organization, or make a professional Twitter account or
blog to show off your strengths. Just remember, if you’re using social media
publically, be conscious of what you say on those platforms.
media: In the PR/Marketing industry, it is best to have a presence publically
on social networks to show employers that you’re savvy with social media. It is often the intern’s duty to
manage social media for a company, and you will need to demonstrate that you’re
proficient in various different platforms. Volunteer to be a social media
manager in a student organization, or make a professional Twitter account or
blog to show off your strengths. Just remember, if you’re using social media
publically, be conscious of what you say on those platforms.
These are all great tips! Thanks for sharing.
♥Emma, of It’s Emma Elise