How to Get a Prestigious Internship
A prestigious internship is an important first step in a successful career. Thousands of companies offer internships to college students, graduating college seniors and graduate students. Some of them are less competitive than others, but the more prestigious and competitive ones can significantly improve your employability.
Instructions
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Choose your college wisely. Your search for the right internship can begin as early as your senior year of high school, when you begin sending out college applications. Some companies are more apt to hire interns from colleges with which they have a relationship. If you know the company with which you want to intern early on, ask which colleges primarily supply their interns.
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Decide specifically what you want to do. You may be surprised to learn what internships are available at particular companies. For example, the Central Intelligence Agency hires interns for almost all departments, from public affairs to information technology.
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Read Business Week's pick of the top 50 internships (see Resources below). Many students are shocked to see that companies such as Macy's and Sprint make the list, right alongside companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers.
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Get good grades. Beyond your intelligence, this demonstrates to potential employers your dedication, organizational skills, ambition and motivation. Academic success also shows that your education (and therefore your future profession) is important to you.
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Secure strong reference letters. Form solid academic relationships with teachers and professors. When it comes to asking for a reference letter, they will be able to provide substantive information to potential employers.
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Apply as though the internship were a "real" job. Just because you're a college student doesn't mean you should go into an interview wearing flip-flops and a backpack. Dress and interview to impress. Similarly professional, your resume should be typed on off-white resume paper and free of grammar and spelling errors.
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Ask for the internship. Don't be afraid, even if the company doesn't traditionally hire interns. Perhaps the company has simply not considered it before.
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