Written by Josephine Lindberg, MS ‘23 –
Interested in getting your dream internship? Below are five J tips and tricks that helped me land internships with some of the most well-known firms in New York State.
- Attend job fairs.
Companies participate in job fairs with the intention of networking and hiring students. Some companies will even give interviews on the spot. Make sure to have your resume ready and have a well-practiced elevator pitch.
- Don’t be afraid of rejection.
Often, people fear being rejected by companies, so they are scared to apply. It’s not always the case that you aren’t qualified, it could just be that the person chosen is more qualified. So, when you are qualified and you keep applying, chances are there will eventually be a company that sees you as a good fit.
- Spend time on your cover letter
From what I’ve seen, people generally don’t like writing cover letters. It’s easier to just upload a resume that you’ve used to apply for all your internships. However, cover letters are a chance for you to tell your story. Tell your story that recruiters wouldn’t know from just looking at your resume. Cover letters are just as important and differ from resumes because they are more personal. Keep in mind that when recruiters are reviewing job applications, chances are they haven’t met you yet. Cover letters can help you develop your character for recruiters to seriously consider, “Do I want to work with this person?” Cover letters may not be the deciding factor for whether you get the internship, but a poorly written cover letter can definitely prevent you from landing the internship.
- Practice, practice, and practice for the interview.
If you happen to get an interview for the company you applied to, take the time to prep. Make sure you go through a list of common interview questions and have a few stories prepared for situational questions. Many interviewers will ask questions that start with, “Tell me about a time…” These situational questions can be hard to answer on the spot, so having a few stories prepared will help you answer these to the best of your ability. I also recommend sending thank you emails after your interview, one to each person that interviewed you. These emails will set you apart and leave the interviewers with a good impression of you.
- Utilize your network.
You never know what opportunities are lurking nearby. Take an interest in the people around you, and the internships that they have. If you feel like someone you know has an internship similar to something you would want, don’t be afraid to reach out to them. If you don’t have a large network, I recommend joining organizations or attending professional events. Although it may seem intimidating, it will definitely help you expand your network and build connections.
BIO: Josaphine was born in Washington State and moved to Taiwan where she spent the next 10 years of her life. Going into middle school, she moved to Pennsylvania and then moved to Ithaca, NY. She came to UB to pursue a degree in accounting. She recently accepted a full time offer with PwC in NYC as an audit associate starting fall 2023 and is looking forward to the rest of the MS accounting program and starting her journey in NYC!