The Struggles Of The Internship Search
Start writing a post
Student Life

The Struggles Of The Internship Search

I'll get your coffee for free, just give me a chance!

63
The Struggles Of The Internship Search
Life Of Pix

As a junior in college, it seems like everyone is talking about internships. Internships are more important than ever in helping with your future job search. As with any job, it’s not easy to be selected for an internship and as someone experiencing the struggle of trying to get hired, it's a frustrating process. There are many struggles and anxieties that come from this application process.

Perfecting your resume

Making sure you have a perfect resume seems impossible. I have changed and updated my own resume countless times. I’ve had different teachers tell me to format my resume in different ways only to have the career services center at my school tell me something completely opposite, so it’s confusing to know what is acceptable.

Narrowing down your search

The Internet is full of internship finders that will help you search for exactly what you want. The problem is that there are endless job listings unless you know specifically what you want to do, but if you’re like me, I will pretty much take any experience that is somewhat related to my field of study. I’ve spent hours looking at internship postings and eventually, not only do your eyes start to burn from the scrolling, but also all of the job titles start to sound the same.

The competitive qualifications

Internships are supposed to be the building blocks of your future career. Many of us who are looking for internships are doing so in hopes of gaining experience, however, some internships have specific qualifications. So you need to have experience to get experience? And even if the job doesn’t require previous training or other credentials, it seems like they tend to pick the candidates who have a more embellished resume. Apparently it’s normal to have four years of experience in the field as a college student.

Letters of recommendation and examples of your work

When you finally find a possible internship that is in your area, fits into your schedule, has the right criteria and pertains to your future career, it’s time to apply. Sometimes it feels like applying to an internship takes longer than applying to college. You find your dream job only to find out that it requires three letters of recommendation from qualified professionals who can speak about your skills that relate to the job. Great, so now you have to awkwardly reach out to professors whom you know don’t have the time or interest in writing you a letter of recommendation. This may have been an easy task in high school but it’s a whole different ball game in college. And if you’re lucky, the internship will require examples of your work! Get ready to search through your computer for that video you submitted for class.

Tackling the dreaded cover letter

A different cover letter is required for each and every job you apply to because you must customize it to fit the expectations and qualifications listed. Personally, every time I write a cover letter my soul dies a little. Does anyone really know how to write a proper cover letter? How do you show your personality on one page? Does anyone even read the entire cover letter?

The wait

Once you have finally submitted everything that the job posting requires, you have to wait. If you’re like me, who has applied to at least 20 internships, it’s hard to keep track of which ones you’ve heard back from. It can take months to hear back from a company, if they even reply to you at all. More often than not, if you aren’t selected for the internship they just don’t tell you. Some big companies will let you know upfront that they don’t guarantee a response and also not to contact them due to the amount of applications they get. The wait may be worth it and you could receive good news, but if you don't, there's always another internship.

Don’t lose faith because there is a job out there for you. If you're a college student struggling with the internship process, you are not alone. Keep your head up and don’t give up! Best of luck with your search!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70725
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132344
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments