Finding an internship is pretty much about being at the right place at the right time. Being at the right place equals you can prove yourself capable of the job requirement and at the right time means there’s an opportunity in front of you.
This is why to some people finding an internship feels like it’s either pure luck or it’s because of one’s outstanding capabilities. That’s not true and you can totally make a winning plan to get yourself an internship.
1. Timing
Finding an internship is hard and confusing partly because it’s a process rather than a one-time effort that you send your application and you get the offer immediately. It really depends on each company, but usually the recruitment is gonna start a month or two before the working period starts. What happened to me in my first summer in college is that I tried to apply for a job late in March when most of the application deadlines have already expired.
Therefore, your main task in this stage would be to find out when the internship recruitment season starts. This could depend on:
a/ the country you are living in
b/ the sector you want to work in
c/ the specific company
You can find this out by doing a simple Google research, talk to your university careers department or check the previous recruitment dates.
Tip: Always on the lookout by checking careers portal, recruitment website every week. This way you will keep up with new openings and have plenty of time to prepare your application.
2. Hunting, tracking and managing like a pro
Now is the crucial part of the job hunting game: Where do you find internship?
These are the main channels widely used in Europe:
- LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/
- Indeed https://www.indeed.fi/
- Glassdoor https://www.glassdoor.com
- University careers portal
- And other sites: https://y-makers.fi/en/
It might be a different case for Asian countries. The most common recruitment channels I came across, for example in Vietnam is through word-of-mouth and Facebook group & page. Best way to find is to follow industry leaders and keep your ears open. As for the marketing & advertising industry in Vietnam, I follow:
- Mr Phan Hai: https://www.facebook.com/haithanhhcmpt
- Mr Bui Quang Tinh Tu: https://www.facebook.com/buiquangtinhtu (he also has a fantastic website on digital marketing, you should check it out: https://conversion.vn/ )
- Hong Kong-based: http://www.internshipasia.net/ (I actually found my internship in Hong Kong through this website)
- https://ybox.vn/tuyen-dung (never had a contact by using this but also an option)
Tip: Don’t be afraid to in introduce yourself (your background and career interests) in a group. It’s okay if things do not turn out the way you want. Just take this as a learning process about the industry and the employer. Open yourself to discussion / coffee meeting or quick phone call. If you are feeling anxious, just remind yourself that they can only say no – and it’ll be the same as you don’t ask.
The next step I would do is to create a Google spreadsheet / excel sheet to track all of the information about the positions I’d like to apply to. So basically, it should have these tabs: Company, Job Description, Deadline, Link to application/ Email contact, Status (application sent/ invited to interview/ rejected) and Note.
Does not have to be anything magnificent, mine looks like this.
Why?
- You won’t forget the deadline
- You can estimate when you should start preparing for the application
- It’s easier to tailor your resume with personal notes
- You can prioritize according to urgency (deadline) or personal preference
- You’ll learn from the rejections and improve your chances of getting hired
Like I have said, job hunting is a process where two parties trying to get to know more about each other and convince the other of their capability and potential for a long-term relationship. Chances are that you are not going to find the perfect position for you right at your first shot (even though that does happen). As a result, the best strategy is to apply to as many suitable positions as you can and having a Google sheet helps you to organize and keep track of this.
Now that you have gathered a list of job openings, the next step is to study the company, the position carefully in order to understand what the ideal candidate looks like, and tailor your resume to it.
