5 Tips for Landing an Internship in a Competitive Job Market

As summer passes us by, internship opportunities are front and center on my LinkedIn newsfeed. If you’re a student—it doesn’t matter what degree you’re pursuing—I highly recommend you complete an internship before you graduate (I explain why here).
For those of you who are in the process of applying, here are some of my best tips for standing out! Spend time working on each of these and you’ll surely see better results.
Buff up your LinkedIn profile
Recruiters are definitely using LinkedIn to identify great candidates. If you impress them enough, they may even reach out to you to apply for a job at their company. Other times, recruiters are checking your profile after receiving your job application. Make sure you have a great profile photo, bio, and experiences on your profile and don’t make these 5 LinkedIn mistakes!
Refresh your resume
Having a great resume means being clear and concise and emphasizing your most impressive achievements and experiences. Have someone read over your resume and help you tailor it to the jobs you’re applying for. Follow my 3 steps for refreshing your resume and don’t forget these 20 resume tips. You can find much more support and resources at kkarenism.com/resumerescue.
Show up career fairs and recruitment events
You university will host career fairs where you can network with a variety of employers. Many companies will also host their own recruitment events and info sessions where they talk more about the company culture and student or new grad programs available. Sign up for these, show up, and actively engage. Recruiters and program leads will notice those who make an effort to ask questions and participate throughout these events.
Network, network, network
Meet someone in person? Connect with them on LinkedIn. Meet someone virtually? Connect with them on LinkedIn. Make sure you personalize your notes and ask them for a coffee chat to follow up on your initial interaction. Prepare 3-5 great questions for each coffee chat, go through your career walking deck one pager, and send a thoughtful thank you note afterwards. Read my 3 Secrets to Better Networking from 300+ Coffee Chats.
Work on projects and extracurriculars
The best way you stand out on your resume and in an interview is through your experience. You can get great experience by stepping up to lead team projects and going beyond the classroom to gain practical experience. Join student clubs to build new skills and exposure to your areas of interest. For example, if you want to become a consultant then consider joining a case competition!
Where can you go for more help?
There are tons of resources on this blog to help you land your next job. Use the search feature on the home page or check out one of these relevant topics:
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