Fall 2017 Online Job + Internship Week is happening now until Friday, October 27! Sign up, sign on and apply to your dream gig.
Landing your internship is an uphill battle, I won’t lie to you. It requires patience, attention to detail, creativity, and confidence. It’s taxing, but as Tom Haverford would say, “Sometimes you gotta work a little, so you can ball a lot.” Below you’ll find tips and practices that have guided me through the process.
It’s important to know that you’re not alone in your search. Taking advantage of your resources, from your school’s career development department, events, and of course Campus Philly, you can alleviate the pressure of the search.
I had no clue just how many internship opportunities there were in Philly, employers are searching just as hard for you. This March, from the 27th-31st, we’ll be hosting our Online Job Internship Week, with new openings daily from employers in the area. From the comfort of your home or wherever you can have your laptop, you can apply and search for summer jobs and internships. This way you can continue to stay in Philly and continue your development as a young professional after the school semester!
P.S. This could be you chilling on Race St. Pier this summer!^^^
Things as simple as proofreading your resume can be the difference between you landing the role or not. Get another set of eyes on your resume, make sure you’re checking for grammar, clarity, and relevance.
Roam the websites of your hopeful employers, read blogs, understand their core values and mission statements. You can really set yourself apart with a resume that looks like it took effort – paying attention to design and accuracy can pay off big time.
Along with your resume is your cover letter. I know it seems like a drag after you’ve spent so much time refining your resume, but it can serve as your secret weapon. Go beyond your resume bullet points and tell your story, highlight your accomplishments in detail, connect the dots from your prior experience and explain how they would benefit the company or organization. If you feel like you lack experience, articulate how your interests coincide with what’s being asked of you. There’s no shame in explaining that there are areas in which you hope to gain expertise.
Getting away from the computer screen and into the mix is another way to find that internship you’re aiming for. You already know how important it is to network, “You should start networking” – it’s the age-old adage. Luckily, networking events in Philly are easy to come by. Chatting with others who are also looking to land a gig and hearing invaluable advice from people who’ve already done it is a great way to get a feel for Philly’s professional scene. There’s always the chance that connection you made, or that piece of advice you got could lead you to your next job or internship.
Here are a few resources you can use to get your search started!
- https://www.startupdigest.com/digests/philadelphia
- https://www.eventbrite.com/d/pa–philadelphia/networking/
- https://www.meetup.com/NetworkingAfterWorkPhiladelphia/
- http://philadelphia.eventful.com/events/categories/business
- https://campusphilly.org/launchevents/
- http://technical.ly/jobs/?terms%5Btypes%5D%5B%5D=internship
You’ll have your work cut out for you, you may not get the first, second, or third role you applied for, but stay the course. Above all, stay composed. The application process is so tenuous, and then you have a whole interview to worry about.
Before any interview I’ve had, I sat in my car, collected my thoughts, and told myself “you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.” Lame I know, but it relieved a ton of pressure for me. Remember that you’re taking a step in the right direction, trust the process (for all my Sixers fans out there).
With a thriving millennial population, employers in Philly are rushing to find and develop talent. If you’re hoping to call Philly home during college and into your professional life remember that the city is going through a transformation. Young people like you are a catalyst for the change in the city, creating new things, starting new companies, new organizations, – there’s a lot of new. Applying yourself to the city’s offerings starts with a few small steps, coupled with some effort you can create the life that you’ve always imagined for yourself in Philadelphia.
