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March 01, 2012
Internship Queen
As we all are scrambling to apply for summer internships during these next couple of months, I’ve decided to share an interview with my roommate, Allie Bell, a sophomore in Sigma Delta Tau, who has an internship this semester. Allie interns with Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment. This company promotes and does marketing for all of the events at the Canopy Club on campus and also works with Summer Camp, a music festival which occurs at the end of May. I’ve asked Allie some interesting questions that I know you are all dying to know as you apply for tons of summer internships. 1. Why did you decide to apply for this internship? “I wanted to do something outside of the sorority that had something to do with my major. It is a great resume booster, especially because I am doing this at school and balancing it with my course load. I’m majoring in communication, hoping to have a focus in social media and marketing, so this type of internship seemed applicable to me.” 2. What went into applying for this internship? “First, I went onto the website and found the head of the company that I was supposed to contact. I did a bunch of research in regards to what this company does, who their target audience is, and what interested me about it. I then sent him an email prefacing what I was looking for, and he asked me to send in my resume and cover letter, and then he invited me in for an in-person interview.” 3. What are the most important things that you think should go into a cover letter? “I think that it should sound professional. First, state why you think this internship would benefit you and what YOU can do for THEM. Then, write your experience that directly relates to the internship you are applying for. Finally, thank them and give your contact information so you can hopefully set up an interview. An in-person interview is your best bet, because you can sell yourself and let them know how your past experiences have helped you to this point in your professional life. There is a lot that a person can learn about you besides from what they read on your resume.” 4. Have you ever attended a career fair on campus? “I’ve never attended one, but I know of some people who have attended specific career fairs such as fairs for business majors which have been very helpful. For my major, I feel like the people looking to hire others know that there will be a wide range of students coming from different educational backgrounds who may be interested in their work, so doing research online is your best bet at finding different opportunities.” 5. What types of daily tasks are you assigned to during your internship? “I regularly track the analytics of all of our social media sites such as who is visiting them through a website through Google Analytics. I send emails to agents and managers in hopes of trying to get gigs to come perform. Being an intern is not all fun because I am sometimes asked to vacuum, but I am working my way up.” 6. What kind of time commitment does this internship require? “My internship requires two hours, from 3 to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Sometimes they let me leave early if I get everything done for the day, but I’ve made new friends and have gained a very valuable experience interning there so far.” 7. What are your summer plans in terms of getting an internship? “I have been applying to a bunch of PR/Marketing/Social Media firms in Chicago and the northern suburbs. I think that because I go to U of I, I will always have connections to the working world. I hope to someday do PR for events.”
Beth is a junior studying English, creative writing and communication. You may contact her at bgrosky@gmail.com.
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