by Alisanne Struck
Every semester I hear countless peers discuss the stress of finding a summer internship. Whether it’s the search for a paid internship or the lack of internship opportunities at their summer residence. Like many other college students, I was in search of a summer internship last year. Searching for the perfect internship can be extremely stressful, especially if you aren’t looking in a large city. I was searching for an internship in Sioux City, IA, which if you don’t know, is the opposite of a PR-centric city. Finding an internship (or a job) can be difficult, however I found some handy tips for anyone looking to land their dream internship. Finding what was right for me First, I had to narrow down my search, but not so narrow that I had strict limitations. My three “qualifications” that I set were: my internship had to be around Sioux City (where I lived), be something that I would truly enjoy, and something that would be paid. I was embarking on a search for an internship that would meet these expectations, and I stayed optimistic. As I looked, many employers were only hiring for remote or unpaid internships that weren’t accessible to where I was living during the summer. I did what some people thought was crazy and started “cold-emailing” businesses. Since “cold-emailing” wasn’t a typical way of sourcing opportunities, I had to use my knowledge of professionalism and electronic charisma. By entering the “hidden job market,” I learned that so many businesses will consider hiring college students! Sadly, finding an internship still had some challenges since I had limited experience. UNI values an experiential learning experience, and that was a point I made in each job inquiry email. Wherever I ended up interning, I wanted the opportunity to learn and grow. When applying for internships, get ready for some rejections. I haven’t heard of a single peer who got accepted to every internship they applied for. I reached out to over 30 businesses in Sioux City, and sadly, I only heard back from about ten. Over half could only offer me unpaid internships, and a few were for jobs that I didn’t feel I would enjoy. However, two offered me an interview for a paid internship opportunity. After interviewing and taking a tour of both their facilities, I ended up choosing the right workplace for me! My Internship and Advice This past summer, I was the Associate Events Coordinator Intern at the Sioux City Country Club. It ended up being such a great experience and I learned so much. I learned about event planning and event design, as well as the behind-the-scenes of a country club. I never would have gotten this experience had I not entered the hidden job market. By creating a position within the country club, I was able to snag an internship that didn’t even exist in the first place. My advice for others would be to put yourself out there! Looking for any new opportunity is difficult, you’re more likely to face rejection than not. However, by showing your skills and desire to use the education you’ve been receiving, you will land a great internship. So many of the professional skills I learned to use were skills I learned in PRSSA. Many of our guest speakers discuss what they look for in new hires, and I was able to apply that to my internship search. For more information on how to take advantage of these amazing opportunities through UNI’s PRSSA Chapter, visit uni-prssa.weebly.com.
1 Comment
Henry
11/10/2022 10:46:46 am
Great post and advice for fellow students!
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