If you are a college student then you must have heard of this term called ‘Internship’. Internships are like pseudo-jobs that help you gain industry experience without actually becoming an employee. They are win-win situations for both parties, you and the company. Neither do you have to commit to a company for the long-term nor does the company have to take care of your medical benefits and provident funds. In today’s world, internships have become a mandate. Most companies would like you to have some internship experiences before offering you your first job. This makes an internship a differentiating factor that sets you apart from the crowd. Now, the question is – How to get an excellent internship?
I was in the same situation back a few years back. Fortunately, I got an incredible internship towards the end of my studies. That’s when I thought I must pen down my experience and share the secrets to nail a high-paying internship. So, here I am. Stick till the end of the article and you’ll know everything about how to crack a brilliant internship. Let’s get started.
13 Secrets To Nail A High-Paying Internship
The following tips start right from how you should analyse yourself and prepare your resume to how you can ace the interview. Read and absorb all the information provided below and don’t forget to thank me later.
1. Assess Your Strengths
While looking for an internship, you must first know your strengths, weaknesses and interests. An important point that most students often forget is that a high-paying internship can be cracked only when you are passionate about the domain and when you possess expertise in the same field. For example, if you believe you are good at writing then scouting for internships in the domain of content writing would fetch you the best deal.
2. Consider Your Experience
Another point that goes hand-in-hand with the strengths is the experience. An interesting part about the work experience is that it has compounding power. You start with very little to negligible professional experience but with every step, your skill sets and expertise improve which prepares you better for the next stage. If you have 3 months of experience in the field of, let’s say, designing creative social media posts then considering the same domain while targeting your next internship would be a wise choice.
3. Prepare A Strong Resume And Triple-Check It
If there’s anything that will matter the most in an internship/job experience then it has to be your resume. This is the deciding factor. Resumes are brief documents that showcase your skills, education and professional background. Typically, resumes will contain your name and contact info, education, professional summary, work experience, skills and additional experience.
Make sure you highlight all the important aspects and the order of various information is correct. A person going through your resume may scan it for around 10-30 seconds but nothing more than that. So, you have to craft your resume in a manner that seems appealing and relevant at the first glance. Don’t forget to proofread your resume at least thrice. You don’t want the interviewer to find mistakes in the very first communication itself.
Bonus Tip: Tailor your resume for each and every application.
4. Know Where To Look
Now when you are sure about your skills and the domain; plus you have your resume created, the next step is to know where to apply. There are hundreds of job portals on the internet but I’d recommend you apply only on the 4-5 popular ones. Internshala is one such great platform where all college students can find a wide range of internships easily.
5. Apply Early
Applying as early as possible improves your chances of getting selected. The more time you take to apply, the more likely it is that the position will be filled. High-paying internships are in high demand (obviously!) and you don’t want to miss the opportunity just because you were late.
6. Be Specific While Answering Miscellaneous Questions
The application process of companies would most likely include some miscellaneous questions. Some may test your personality while others may test your general aptitude. If you are asked generic questions to test your personality, make it a point to back your answers with relevant instances from the past. It has a profound effect on the reader and this increases your chances of getting selected.
7. Highlight Overlapping Points
While answering the questions in the application form, highlight the aspects that are common between you and the role or between your core values and the company’s mission. This will portray how you are a better fit for the particular role.
8. Proofread Your Application
Again, there is no room for any error in the application form. All your answers need to be grammatically correct and factually strong. Place yourself in the shoes of the interviewer and critically analyse your application. This will help you spot the smallest error and you can rectify it while you have the provision.
9. Do Your Research
Once you have applied for a role and you are waiting for the interview call, try knowing as much as you can about the company and the job role. Having insights related to the company’s vision, business model and culture is bound to impress any interviewer. Do your homework well and you’ll rock ahead.
For more in-depth information about this topic, read: Which Are The Company Things To Research Before An Interview?
10. Ace That Interview
It should also go without saying that you need to be presentable—which generally means conservatively dressed—and on time for your interview. One thing that I can vouch for is – you master the interview experience only by facing a lot of them. So try your best to appear for as many interviews as possible which will prepare you better for the actual interview.
Bonus Tip: Ask thoughtful questions towards the end of the interview (or when the interviewer gives you the opportunity). You could, for example, ask about the company’s strategy, what the employer expects from the intern, or about some of its products or services. Asking intelligent questions during an interview conveys the message that you are a thinker and are truly interested in the position and the organisation.
11. Demonstrate Flexibility
Interns may have set monotonous duties. That is, your task might be simply to enter data into spreadsheets all day or to make cold calls. However, if you make it clear that you are willing to do grunt work and can be flexible based upon the organisation’s needs, then that could be an outstanding factor in your candidacy.
Recommended Reading: Top 12 Industries That Let You Work From Anywhere
12. Emphasize On Learning
We all are students for life and learning is a permanent process. One who stops learning becomes obsolete for the world. Ensure that you mention you are a keen learner in your interview. Obviously, you should mean that as well. Learning about various other domains will only help you become a better professional. Combine flexibility and learning attitude together and you will become the best candidate for any role. Hence, emphasizing learning is an important secret regarding how to nail a high paying internship.
You cannot miss this read: A Student’s Guide To Doing More Than One Internship!
13. Be Yourself
Last but not the least, if you are faking your abilities, personality, or experience, it will show quite clearly. Know that you do not need to be an expert at everything. Internships are meant for young people to get experience. It is an investment in your potential and your future.
That’s it for this blog. Hope you enjoyed reading these secrets on how to nail a high-paying internship. Good luck!
Also Read: The Top 6 Tips To Make It To A Summer Internship
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