Student Life

Everything You Need to Know Before Starting an Internship

Everything You Need to Know Before Starting an Internship
Internships can be the perfect stepping stone you need to succeed in the transition from academia to the workforce. 

Whether you’re just leaving high school, are an undergraduate, or a fresh graduate, finding an internship can be a competitive and nerve-wracking process, especially if you have no previous work experience of any kind. 

While internships are often entry-level positions, competing with others to land a placement can be challenging.

Here are a few tips to help you get and prepare for your first internship.
How Long Are Internships?
The length of an internship depends on various factors. But generally, for those in their undergraduate studies or in high school, internships often run for about 3 to 4 months, given that organizations typically plan on students filling these positions for the summer months or over a school semester. 

This format is most common with unpaid internships, as they often plan around the needs of students looking specifically for experience in their field of interest.

In the case of many entry-level positions, fresh graduates may start off as unpaid internships that often last for about 6 months to 1 year. 

Some of these internships may be paid positions due to their lengthy nature. But it’s not uncommon for organizations to require you to build up your experience with an unpaid position first which may later turn into a paid position, especially when you’re entering the workforce.
How to Get an Internship with No Experience
Do Your Research
Finding the right internship can play a big part in determining whether you get the position and ultimately, succeed in the role. While landing the job is half the battle, make sure you pick an internship you are both passionate about and qualified enough for to get the most out of your experience.

To make sure you see the most opportunities possible, check out multiple job boards like Indeed or LinkedIn for postings. And also make sure to visit and browse the official websites of companies you’re interested in.

Once you find a few internships to apply to, start conducting research on the company to make sure it’s a good fit for you. Be sure to read the job description in detail and note some of the relative experience and qualities you have that could benefit the role.
Update Your Resume
Listing all of your job experience on your resume is great, but highlighting the most relative experience is more important. Stuffing your resume with every credential possible can lead the employer to miss pertinent information about your skills, experience, and education. 

And including every single thing you have ever done will also make your resume chaotic and unprofessional. Instead, showcase your most relevant previous positions, what they have taught you, and how you can bring them to this position and excel at it.
Practice Your Interview Skills
Spend time looking at common job interview questions and practice your answers based on the positions you hope to interview for. Preparing for an interview is the best way to appear confident during the real thing and will help to reduce your nervousness before and during the process. 

Try to memorize certain buzzwords that stand out to employers and practice being confident and comfortable with yourself to bring out your personality and leave the interviewers a memorable impression of you.
Nail the Interview
Regardless of whether you are the most qualified candidate, how you present yourself plays a big role. Being professional, passionate, and presentable during the interview can make or break your overall chances. 

Hiring individuals who would fit in well with the company itself is a big part of choosing the right candidate (and ultimately coworker), therefore, if you make it to the interview stage there is still a chance that you’ll be seen as the best fit for the position even if you’re not the most qualified on paper.

Discussing your previous skills in relation to how transferable they are to your potential new position is the best way to succeed in your interview especially if you don’t have prior experience in similar roles. Transferable skills are those that prove to be valuable in any position such as being a fast learner, organization and time management, communication, teamwork, and adaptability. 

Therefore, if you’re wondering how to get an internship with no experience, boosting your transferable skills from previous work experience may be the best strategy to take during an interview.

Finally, if you stick to job applications for internship positions you’re passionate about, be sure to express your genuine interest in the company and role as it shows your motivation to learn and excel in the given position.
Try, Try and Try Again
If you still can’t seem to break down the barriers between yourself and securing your dream internship, don’t be discouraged! It’s important to remember that you aren’t going to be the only candidate following these strategies to land the gig and that there are always opportunities to reapply and express your commitment to the position.

If the time comes where you need to apply once more, take note of where you could have improved the previous application and interview process and enhance your preparation and interview skills even further. 

If possible, spend the time in between application rounds building your resume with skills that you recognize to be critical in qualifying for the position. 

For example, if the job requires you to be familiar with a certain software or marketing tool, dedicate time to researching the skills that you need (or even take a free course online to develop the skills) and return to your next interview showing resilience, commitment and improvements from the last time you applied.

Good luck, and I hope you get the internship you want!