Around this time of year, many college students are somewhere in the summer internship application process, whether they are just beginning to apply or have already applied to many companies. A summer internship can lead to a job straight out of college for many students. Getting an internship, however, can be quite difficult, but with this how-to guide, you will hopefully find a summer internship in no time.

Perfect your resume
Before you start applying to internships, make sure your resume sets you apart from other applicants. One of the most effective ways to improve your resume is by describing your past work experience in a professional and engaging manner. For example, if for a past job you were expected to clean up after your shift was over, instead of saying that you cleaned up the store, say that you disinfected a 2,000-square foot store for 30 minutes three times a week. Simply changing the way you describe what you have done at past jobs can better illustrate what makes you the best candidate for an opportunity.

Another great way to perfect your resume is by adding descriptive action words at the beginning of every bullet point on your resume. Instead of saying, “I talked to customers everyday over the phone,” say: “Consulted with over 20 customers daily to help them with technical issues.”

Simply starting each bullet point of your resume with an action word can make a past experience sound compelling and interesting. Action words also get straight to the point; they explain what you’re good at and why you should be hired.

Jeffrey Fouts, the assistant director of career services for the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, says that you should also make sure that your cover letter and resume are tailored to the requirements of the internship you are applying to.

“The (internship) requirements are your roadmap to what the employer is looking for, and you should have a separate cover letter and resume for every internship you apply to,” Fouts said. “A lot of work, you say? Yes, it is, but if you do what I am suggesting, the amount of time and the amount of companies that you have to connect with will be dramatically less than those students who don’t tailor their materials.”

Talk with career services
Remember that you are not in this job hunt alone! You have many people at SU to help you obtain a summer internship. Make an appointment with SU’s career services center. Its staff can help you make your resume better, edit cover letters and guide you through the process of applying to internships. They also help with interviewing and networking skills, search strategies and personal statements.

Network, network, network!
You’ve probably heard that networking is one of the best ways to get anywhere in your career — this is accurate. Talking with alumni from SU that work at your dream job is an amazing start to getting a job at that company. People you talk with can provide referrals or insider information about companies you might be interested in working for. They can also provide information about career fields you might be interested in or what the job market looks like.

Fouts’ advice for networking is to network with SU alumni first. He said that it doesn’t matter what school within SU the alumni graduated from, it doesn’t matter what year they graduated and most importantly, it doesn’t matter what job they have in the organization. Students should reach out no matter what, he said.

When you are reaching out, use LinkedIn as your primary networking tool. One common pitfall to avoid is asking the alum to take your resume or give you a referral, because they won’t. Your foot in the door is simply to ask for advice, which is non-committal and you will get many more responses from alumni. Your goal is for the alum to ask you for your resume, not the other way around.

Now start applying!
Utilize Handshake or LinkedIn to find your next internship opportunity. Fouts said that SU makes sure the companies and the internship opportunities are actual opportunities. Organizations also put in their own internships into Handshake, and if an organization is putting an internship into SU’s Handshake, chances are they are looking for an SU student.

The strategy outlined above is your best chance at success, as it has worked for many students in the past. I encourage you to give it a try, and you will be amazed at the opportunities you will find.

Melanie Wilder is a sophomore policy studies and information management double major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at mewilder@syr.edu.

Published on April 5, 2022 at 9:02 pm