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Five Tips for Finding an Internship

Feb 26, 2020 | Internships, Tips

We know how stressful the job hunt can be. Trust us – we’ve been there. The good news is that it doesn’t need to cause more stress than final exam week. Before you hit the job market, check out our top 5 tips to help make your job search as stress-free and successful as possible. 

Two students dressed professionally and carrying portfolios are shown networking with a professional (her out-of-focus head is in the foreground) at a career fair.
Two students meet with prospective employers at a recent PRSSA Networking Event at Purdue University. Career fairs like this one are a great place to find internship opportunities.

1. Look Early

It’s never too early in your academic career to start looking for an internship or job. Start searching the job boards now. Even if you can’t find something yet, this will help you figure out what positions or companies interest you.  

Look early in the calendar year too! Some employers start recruiting earlier than others. If you wait to apply for jobs later in the year, you might miss a great opportunity. 

2. Look Often

Job boards get updated when new positions are available, sometimes daily or even hourly. Don’t miss out on scoring your dream job because you are only looking periodically.  

Build some time into your schedule to check job boards regularly. Even ten minutes a day during your evening Netflix binge can make a difference! 

Many job boards also offer an email digest of recent postings. You can set your frequency so you can hear about new jobs as often as you want. 

3. Look Late

Some companies are still trying to find a summer intern in late May or June. Don’t give up on your job search! If you can’t find something right away, keep trying.  

4. Look Everywhere

There a ton of different places to look for jobs. Don’t stick to just one, though. Switch between multiple to maximize your search. Here are just a few places to start: 

  • The College of Liberal Arts Career Center internship site. This site includes on-campus and local internships and features companies that have expressed interest in hiring students from the Lamb School. 
  • LinkedIn job search. You can filter by location, position type, industry, job focus, and more.  
  • Company websites. The perfect place to go if you know a specific company you are interested in working for. These websites are also great to do research on a company to see if it would be a good fit for you. 
  • Career fairs. Purdue hosts several career fairs throughout the semester. These are great ways to learn more about companies and get some face time with recruiters. COM students are welcome at any career fair on campus. Even if recruiters are on campus to recruit for engineering specifically, chances are their organization needs and hires communicators and marketers too! 

5. Look Nearby

You don’t have to go far to get help building on one or all of your professional skills.  If you need help creating your resume, writing a cover letter, or interviewing, the Purdue Center for Career Opportunities and the CLA Career Center both take appointments for students to meet and get one-on-one help with these skills and more. Both centers also offer workshops throughout the semester focusing on different skills. Check out their websites for more information. 

Bonus Tip: Look for Fit

Try to find a job that aligns with your interests and personal ethics. Instead of just saying “I want a job,” the most intriguing candidates can say “I want a job with your company, because of X.” When you spend nearly one-third of your adult life working, it’s important to work with a purpose. Start thinking about what your purpose is now while you are scrolling through pages of job postings.  

Using these tips, your job search will be stress-free, leaving more time for you to do the things you really enjoy. Good luck and happy searching! 

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