How Can Fresh Graduates Apply for Internships

How Can Fresh Graduates Apply for Internships

How Can Fresh Graduates Apply for Internships

One thing we must emphasize is that graduation significantly marks a chapter in one’s life. After years of depending on family support to get through, uncertainty now stares in the face of fresh graduates who are trying to enter the labor market.

Since the economic crunch keeps pushing companies to select just the best candidates, the fresh graduates cannot help but so compete against more qualified employees for jobs that mostly require experience.

While fresh graduates may likely rank low in the selection table of recruiters, Internships are the perfect way for fresh graduates to have a fighting opportunity in landing a full-time working gig.

Benefits of an Internship

The fact remains that, the internship allows individuals to explore their chosen career path. It offers them real-world experience of how to make use of their school-fed theories.

The benefit of internships for fresh graduates include:

• It will help them learn some new skills

For those who have never held a job, it is advisable to apply for an internship in a bid to acquire skills that will be needed to make their resume appealing to prospective recruiters 

Even though some skills are regarded as innate, others are learned over time with practice. When you are in a rural work setting, you will create essential skills that are linked to time management, critical thinking, teamwork, and so on.

• It will develop your knowledge

When you are being mentored by major industry players and veterans, completing an internship will offer you an opportunity to build on the theories you have learned in school and apply them in the real world.

• It will help you to establish connections

The individuals that will coach you during your internship program may likely become your character references later in the future. They have seen your work and can vouch for your skill, competencies, and ethics.

For those who will manage to create a good professional and personal relationship with these people, they may likely be capable of providing useful links or contacts to vital persons in the industry.

How To Apply For Internships

You must bear in mind that discovering an internship is not different from seeking a job. When you find out the career path you want to pursue, you can begin exploring the companies you want to intern with through these steps. They are:

• Add some content to your resume

Normally, you should do some works on your resume even before you graduate. You can join organizations on your campus and take on holiday jobs. However, if you have not done any of these, you can showcase all you can offer by building your online portfolio.

An example is if you are a graduate of journalism, you can create a website to highlight your photography and writing skills.

• Create a cover letter and resume

You should have your resume and cover letter ready. In a bid to increase the chances you have to get an internship, you are to steer clear of sending generic letters of intent.

Instead, you are to update it specifically to the job role you are applying for.

Read Also: How can a fresh graduate work abroad

 

• Create accounts on job and career sites

Some companies provide internship positions on career and job sites. All you need to do is to check which sites provide genuine listing before you create an account 

You can search for internship programs or non-specific jobs. You may also want to filter and tweak the search categories to depict the ones that are suitable for you.

There are cases wherein applying for diverse internships can work. However, showing interest in certain positions may likely increase your chances of actually getting an internship.

You can spend time thinking about the competencies and skills that you possess currently and how they can add value to the company you want to intern for. When it comes to applying for internships as a fresh graduate, there are things to consider.

They include:

• Consider your degree

Since you will be an intern with little to no work experience, the first step to take in getting the job of your dreams is to discover common job titles for those who graduated with a similar degree to yours.

Understand that, you cannot apply for a software development internship if you have your degree in social works.

• Consider your experience

Take a look at your previous work experience and try aligning it to the job role that the company seeks. If you have experience in operating a family enterprise, it will prepare you for a business internship

• Consider your skills

Some of the generic skills that companies seek range from adaptability, problem-solving skills, time management, critical thinking, attention to detail, and a candidate attitude.

These skills must be highlighted in your cover letter or resume if you have them.

• Consider tapping your connections

It is pertinent to note that not every company advertises their job or internship vacancies. This is why it is ideal to reach out to your network for any leads 

You can talk to your friends, school alumni, or even professors just to see if they can recommend companies that are willing to accept interns. Or, if they can connect you to major persons in the organization. For those who can secure a recommendation letter from prominent academic persons or businessmen, then do it 

• Consider researching companies that provide internship opportunities

There are companies, nonprofit organizations, and medical facilities that provide both unpaid and paid internship programs. You are to grab the chance and sign up for these programs in a bid to build upon your work experience.

There are some large organizations and companies that have special pages dedicated to internship programs. You are to explore these pages to discover pertinent data like qualifications, requirements, and the deadline for application.

Before you do this, ensure that you make out time to learn more about the organization you wish to apply to.

• Consider contacting companies directly

For those who may be eyeing certain companies, you should be proactive and contact them through email or phone to ask if they can accommodate you even if they are not in the hiring season.

Furthermore, you can ask for an informational interview if they are open to it.

• Consider signing up for volunteering work

As you wait for feedback from companies you have applied to, you can join some cause-oriented or advocacy groups that may have connections with the companies or industries that you wish to intern.

Through this method, you can actively build your resume and expand your network of contacts simultaneously.

Conclusion

One useful tip we can provide for you is to check your social media accounts. Some recruiters make use of the web to screen job and internship applicants. This is why you must ensure that your Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts look professional.

You should remove any unprofessional or embarrassing posts or any public rants. Note that, removing them will enable you to avoid leaving a terrible impression with your prospective employers.

On a general note, learning is a never-ending process. Thus, internships are an amazing way to absorb the knowledge and skills that are demanded in landing a job.

When you allow companies to see all you can do and how series you want to excel in your specific field, you can get yourself ahead of other applicants even those that are experienced.

 

 

If you need a service of a Professional CV and resume writer or a Career Coach , then Dayo Adetiloye Business Hub is the place to go Call or WhatsApp us now on 081 0563 6015, 080 7635 9735, 08113205312 or send an email to dayohub@gmail.com  and we will solve any of your Career problems.

 

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