Five Tips on How to Prepare for an Internship
By Whitney Puckett ACU Class of 2011 Account Assistant Mitchell Communications Group
Applying for an internship is not easy. In fact, it gets more and more competitive as the number of entry-level positions decline. As a recent graduate who now works full-time for a mid-sized communications firm, I’ve been able to experience first-hand what it takes to get one’s foot in the door.
The following is a list of pointers that landed me in the interview chair:
1) Do your research. Treat the research process as if you were writing a book about the company. Know everything you can about its history, departments, shareholders and culture.
2) Form a habit of spending more time on LinkedIn than on Facebook. LinkedIn is an easy way for companies to recruit and hire people who are interested in their positions. It may also help you narrow down your search to know who is hiring. Be sure to connect with the companies and groups that interest you as well as ACU alumni. And remember, it’s OK to connect with people you don’t know personally because the purpose of LinkedIn is to expand your network.
3) Create a digital portfolio or blog. This was a convenient way for me to share my experience with employers via email Facebook and Twitter. Here is an example of the two I had.
4) Don’t waste time. Employers value those who know how to manage their time and what to invest their time in. Be extremely conscious of which activities you are involved in and make sure most correlate with what you want to do professionally.
5) Always, ALWAYS send a thank you note. Experts say only a small percentage of applicants send thank you notes after an interview. Employers spend a considerable amount of time interviewing hundreds of applicants. Sending a thank you note is a way to ensure they remember who you are and that you are still interested in the position.
These are tips that helped me; however, please don’t hesitate to connect with me if you have further questions.
Email: whitney.puckett@mitchcommgroup.com
Connect: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus
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