We are proud to offer internships to Rhode Island residents who we feel can benefit from our work environment and experience. Christopher interned at J&R Marketing in the winter of 2017 through the P.A.I.D. program at Community Care Alliance. We love his writing and are happy to promote the skills he gained through his internship experience. If you are interested in interning with us at J&R Marketing please email hello@jandrmarketing.com.
12 Tips to Scoring the Perfect Internship
by Christopher Leonard
Internships are ways to earn working experience, learn about different fields and jobs, and establish valuable connections. That said, it’s important to remember that not all internships are good for all people. Just like jobs, each individual has different needs and desires when it comes to internships. Here are some tips to finding the right internship for you!
1: Find out what you want to do.
Internships are a great way to learn what you want to do, but to find an internship that best suits you, you will still need some idea as to what you want. Think about the things you enjoy and the things that excite you. Alternatively, you can start by thinking about what you dislike. This can be an indicator of what you want as well.
2: Start searching and applying early.
Looking early can help you find a good internship before it becomes unavailable. If you’re looking for Summer, start in Winter. This gives you plenty of time to make sure you’re ready and able to find something.
3: Know your resources.
Depending on what you are looking for, the internet has numerous resources for finding an internship. Internships.com is one example, and another good one is through a local youth center. If you’re a student, your school should have a career center or guidance counselor that you can visit to find help.
4: Build a résumé.
Résumés aren’t just for jobs, internships require them too. When making your résumé, try to make it pop visually, but don’t over do it. Word, Google Docs, and Canva, all have templates you can use to create a résumé. Once you have created your résumé it’s a good idea to tailor it for the internship you’re applying to, making it clear to the recruiter why you specifically are applying, and why they should want to hire you.
5: Walk the walk.
Internships may be temporary, they may not pay much, and you likely won’t be doing what you want to do, but the way you behave during an internship does have an effect on what you’ll get out of it. If you don’t fully invest yourself, then you won’t get much out of it, and you may hurt yourself. Employers talk to other employers. If you have a bad reputation with one, you may find yourself losing an opportunity with another.
6: Get out there.
One way of finding an internship is to go out on the town, or get on the phone, and start asking local businesses. They may not have anything, but you won’t know until you ask, and going out of your way to come to them will show dedication and a willingness to work hard, which are good things to show in both internships, and jobs.
7: Practice soft skills.
If you don’t know, soft skills are things like punctuality, communication, anger and stress management, problem solving, and taking responsibility for your mistakes. These are important skills to have when working both jobs and internships.
8: Prepare for an interview.
Sometimes, an internship will require an interview. Preparing for this is just like preparing for any job interview. Research the company, write down a list of questions you have, be courteous to your interviewer, answer his questions honestly.
9: Ask about full-time positions.
It may not happen, but sometimes, companies will hire interns who prove themselves valuable to the company. Asking during the interview, or at the beginning of the internship if they ever take on interns as full time employees may prove beneficial. If you do very well, a company may even create a new position, just for you.
10: Follow up.
About a week after applying, call the company and ask if they have received your application and materials. Calling shows the employer your interest in the internship, and one thing all types of employers looks for is interest and dedication.
11: Prepare to do grunt work.
12: Don’t get discouraged.
