What To Do Other Than An Internship...
Finding internships can be hard. Knowing what you want to do may be hard. Looking in the right places may also be hard. At the end of the day, you are not alone.
There are many ways you can stand out to recruiters & companies. Employers don't always just look for experience but also look for confidence, your motivation, your skill set & more.
It may be discouraging, frustrating, and confusing when we see our peers excelling at big companies like Google and Tiktok. But one of the best things to remember after receiving a rejection letter to a role, is that it is redirection.
There are thousands of companies looking for interns, so it is important to network, reach out, differentiate yourself and look in the right places.
Keep reading to learn FORM's tips on what you can do for yourself to make sure you end up where you need to & to prepare yourself even without internship experience; And just remember, you are not alone!
Our Recomendations:
Networking
What is networking? Having an intentional, professional conversation with someone. Can be in the industry or lead you into it
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Let curiosity drive you. Ask questions & tell them why you are interested in what you are interested in. Don' be afraid to ask questions.
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Set a goal for yourself to network with one person this week!
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Start with someone you vaguely know. Can be a friend of your parents, an alumni from your school, someone you met at a career fair, etc.
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Learn what it is you want to learn from them & what steps you can take.
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Keep it conversational. It should be professional but also does not need to be so formal sometimes.
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The key to networking is forming a connection. You never know who knows who.
Personal Projects & Portfolios
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Making personal projects & portfolios will allow you to stand out.
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This can be interest or exploration driven.
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Apply skills & the knowledge you have learned.
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Get creative and show how you apply yourself & your skills.
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This shows employers that you are self motivated, self starter and shows your discipline.
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Ex. Blogging
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Keep your work together and organized. Make your portfolio/website user friendly, appealing and let it showcase you & your capabilities/knowledge.
Collaborate with a Friend
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Brainstorm project ideas with a friend/classmate.
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Different skills coming together can make the project more unique and creative.
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You can learn additional skills from your partner.
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This will show your team work capabilities & your ability to set your own deadlines, create a vision, and how you work with another individual.
Volunteer
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Recruiters, employers & companies LOVE seeing volunteer work.
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It shows you have values & the kind of person you are.
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You are a representation of the company you work for, they want genuine and good people to advocate & work for them.
Join a Club/ Student Organization
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It is extremely beneficial upon graduation that you have teamwork experience & experience/work aside from your courses.
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There are additional benefits like developing soft skills, networking and understanding your interests.
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Looks good on your resume that you are actively involved. This is the easiest experience you can get before being hired for an internship.
Internships are important, but don't be discouraged because it can be difficult. There are still so many other options to make you stand out & to learn from.
Good luck!