Internships can be the best thing and the worst part of your college career. Going to a school where kids were getting internships freshman year, I was super overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start.
I didn’t think I really needed an internship the first two years of college because of the program I was in, but while I was transitioning out of things, I got more and more connected to people and naturally got an internship.
Where do I start?
First thing to think about is, what’s the end goal? In your 4 years of college, what is it that you want to make out of your experience? To some, it’s to get as many internships away from campus and just to absorb themselves into DC work culture, this means that they probably take some online classes, they live off campus, and they aren’t that involved on campus. The quality of the internship can vary from sitting at a desk answering phone calls and grabbing coffee while they are in a suit (yes, Hillterns, I’m talking to you). To others, they want meaningful internships where they are getting hands on experiences. These are usually your smaller organizations with a smaller staff that put you in a position to take what you want out of an internship. This translates to probably being involved in a few clubs that they care about and investing a lot of time and effort into those corresponding organizations.
Then, there are students like me, who just want to figure out what work environment and culture I like, in different fields. I am involved pretty lightly in a lot of different clubs that fit my interests like WVAU, a student run Internet radio on my campus or like PRSSA that holds a lot of cool events for networking and PR students. I wanted to use my internships as a tool and really learn those transferable skills that I can use in the classroom but also in any other field.
How to look for internships?
In my experience, you can apply to as many as you want, but if you don’t have a connection, then it’s pretty hard to get in. I found my first couple internships through my professors. Since I had a connection already, I was going under their recommendation so I didn’t even need to interview, I just got the internship. The second one that I will be starting over the summer, I also found through a professor. When there are guest speakers, LISTEN! They are the people who are willing to come into your class and talk to students, they are more likely to be interested in giving you internships if you reach out and show enough interest. The third one I will hopefully be starting in the fall is through a friend who recently graduated from my school and got a job at this organization. While my friend was in school, she also interned there for school credit and I remember her talking about her work experience and was really interested in the idea of it.
How do I start making connections?
Ask your professors. If I didn’t have Professor Talan as my professor my junior year (at this stage of my life), I wouldn’t have come across these opportunities. His mindset is very much, if you want something, work for it. For example, if you want to work at Nat Geo, stalk their Instagram, go to their events, reach out to alumni that work there. Just be aggressive. This is the grind that people are talking about. It’s not the glamorous suit wearing Instagram post, it’s the obsessive nature to get what you want.
Do they really matter?
Yes and no. It depends on what you want. You can be a far better candidate for jobs by filling that time up with leadership positions on campus and really getting involved in the community. DC work culture bleeds into the internship culture which leads to pompous students who are exhausted and overworked and not that happy. If you aren’t passionate about the internship and are just doing it to boost your resume, my advice is to find a club on campus that you care about and join the e-board there. If there isn’t a club yet, then make one.
What should you look for?
- LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION
I only tolerated my location because it was a cool historic neighborhood and I THOUGHT it would be pretty accessible via public transportation. Oh, was I wrong. When timing your commute, NEVER time it from the fastest time it took you to get there. That’s a rookie mistake. Go to your internship a week before and time the commute where you aren’t rushing, you miss the bus, and you are walking some of it. That’s your true commute time. The fastest I’ve ever gotten to my internship is 36 minutes, and the longest it’s taken is 1.5 hours. My actual commute time is 47 minutes. I need to adjust my schedule to the 47 minutes. If I get lucky, I can grab a coffee on the way to work too.
- Just wait for your time
I was really nervous and stressed because all my friends were getting internships and I wasn’t having any luck. Do not fall into the comparison game. Your time will come. Learn to be genuinely happy for them in their victories so that they can reciprocate that during yours.
- Look at the opportunity cost
What are you gaining from this internship? What are you losing? While I was gaining knowledge from my internship this semester, I was also not able to hang out with my friends on campus as much. We had to compromise a lot. I was also sitting idle in a room looking at a computer screen for several hours at a time. To me, it was worth it because I have really great friends who understood my position, but think about what you are sacrificing to gain that internship.
- How are you defining success?
What are you trying to prove and to whom? Just because you fill your resume with internships/part time jobs, it doesn’t guarantee anything. It doesn’t mean you’re going to get a job right out of college. If not for that, who are you trying to impress? If it’s not for your own self worth, then find something that brings you joy and invest your effort/time into that. Time isn’t cheap.
- Don’t be arrogant
Internships will teach you a lot more than just the technical skills required. Beggars can’t be choosers. Do the best in everything you do. Strive for excellence. If you’re asked to buy pizza for the staff, don’t forget the napkins. Double check, triple check your work for typos. Bring extra copies for the meetings so you can take notes too. Always have a pen on you. If you’re bosses can’t trust you to spell things correctly, how are they going to pay you for more responsibility? Don’t think that some work is beneath you to do. Keep your mind open and be willing enough to learn anything and everything
Internships are meant to supplement WHO you are. There’s a lot you can learn, but in the end, we all just need to learn how to be better people.
Good luck.
JLee
*When you are working every day, write down what you are doing so it’s easier to translate onto your resume. Thank you Anna Sol for this brilliant tip.
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