by Zahid Siddique
Throughout this semester, I have been trying to obtain a decent, if not a great internship. But all my efforts have been futile so far. With an education at three different institutions, a GPA as close to perfect as it can get, and zillions of extracurricular activities, I am still waiting to hear the word "Congratulations!" I applied to about a hundred (plus or minus ten companies), and got only three interviews. Of the three companies that interviewed me, two have already rejected me; I am still waiting to hear from the third.
Although I have not obtained any significant results from my internship-hunting efforts, I have gained valuable experience during the process. This is why I wanted to share my thoughts with my fellow engineering students. I have compiled a list of ten points that will increase your chances of getting an internship:
1. Start your search as early as possible, perhaps at the beginning of your Junior Year Spring Semester. It is even better to start working on your resume during the winter break. (The fact that I started even before that and did not get any thing should not really discourage you.)
2. Make sure that the resume is well-organized and is free of exaggerations. Rather than saying that you worked for the C.E.O of Merrill Lynch, you should try to concentrate on the facts. In addition, you should also try to get other people's comments about your resume, or better yet, critiques of your resume. I had to change my resume at least five times before making the final copy.
3. Once the resume is ready, you should start finding out about companies with internship programs. The best way to find out about internships is through the Center for Career Services (CCS). Friends can also be helpful in your search. You should also keep an eye on career fairs. I remember that I went to one such fair in Grand Hyatt Hotel and it was a great help.
4. Avoid the mass-mailing-sleeping (MMS) principle. Do not send resumes to a hundred companies and then forget about them. Rather you should apply to a fairly small number and try to keep in touch with them. Once you sent in your resumes, you should continue calling the companies and try to show a lot of interest in their programs. I believe my biggest mistake was that I used the MMS rule, and it worked against me.
5. In addition to applying on you own, you should also visit CCS once a week. There are some companies that recruit on campus for summer jobs. All you have to do is to drop off copies of your resume at CCS.
6. In case you do get an interview, you should prepare well enough for it. Read the literature about the company interviewing you and make sure you have a clear understanding of the workings of the firm.
7. Mock interviews can be very helpful. You can ask your friends or someone else to interview you. In addition, you should make a list of questions that the interviewer might ask you, and try to formulate clear and concise answers to these questions.
8: Before the interview, get enough sleep. Also don't forget to take a shower and dress in proper attire. And always remember the favorite sentence of CCS: "Don't wear white socks."
9: During the interview, the probability of your getting nervous is greater than the probability of your not getting nervous. Therefore, it is imperative that you try to stay calm. Listen carefully to what the interviewer is asking and try to be very specific when answering the questions. Also don't say anything that can bring down your chances of getting the job. For example, a friend of mine went for an interview with an insurance company. During the interview, he kept on emphasizing that he was really interested in management consulting (and not insurance). The result of the interview should be quite clear to the readers.
10: After the interview, don't forget to send thank you notes to your interviewer. This can sometimes be a favorable factor for you.
Also try to contact the company and show your interest in the job.