Obtaining Internships while in College

Internships are a highly sought after position in today's world. Not only do internships give you a way to gain real-world experience, you can get college credit as well as possibly landing a great job. These positions are not just sought after by college students, people who have already graduated also seek them. Utilizing these steps will help dramatically increase your chances of obtaining the best internship.

1. Considering that an internship is generally a non-paid working position you first need to decide if you can afford to do this. You need to be able to set aside a minimum of 10 to 15 hours each week (often times many more). Again, since you are not generally getting paid for your time, other than in experience and new connections, you may need to work another job in order to make ends meet.
2. Check with your school, as well as with local businesses, to find out if they have any intern positions available. The best place to start is generally with your academic advisor. This person will be able to help you decide what you would like to get out of your internship, help you determine if you meet the minimum requirements, as well as help you obtaining college credits for the experience that you receive. You can find quite a bit of information about academic and corporate internships on an organization's Web site.
3. Prepare a resume, just as if you were applying for a paying job. This should be an academic resume that highlights your academic accomplishments, experience, achievements, interests and anything that makes you stand out. Listing things like languages that you speak and your hobbies show a large range of skills that you have to offer. Include at least one letter of recommendation along with your resume, preferably from a professional or academic superior.
4. Know who you are applying with. When submitting your resume for the internship, include a personalized cover letter. Find out who will be making the selection, her position or title, what the company does, and what would be expected of you as an intern. Use this information to make each letter specific for each position for which you are applying.
5. Be prepared for a variety of interviews or evaluations. When you are called in for the interview it could be a panel or one-on-one format. Either way, remain calm and confident and dress professionally for each interview.
6. As you are leaving, ask when you could expect to hear a decision. Use that information to call back in the event that you have not heard anything. No matter what, make sure that you write a letter expressing your thanks for the opportunity to interview with the company. This helps to keep your name in the mind of the individual who makes the decision, and could lead to other opportunities later.