Written by Stephanie Libertucci, Account Executive, Affinity Connection
As students in communications, internships are a critical part of our college experience. Oftentimes, they are even more valuable than the courses we take while in school and will give you the experiences you need to thrive in a job post-grad.
Throughout my time at Penn State, I’ve had four internships so far in a variety of fields, although, the road to get these positions was definitely not easy. For my summer internship this year alone, I applied to 40 internships, interviewed with 10, and then finally had offers from five. The process was certainly long – I started applying in March and didn’t officially accept an offer until mid-May which can be frustrating if you want to hear quickly. Through this process though, I learned so much about best practices when applying and interviewing for internships to ensure that I came across as well-positioned as possible.
Show Genuine Interest and Do Your Research!
Something I learned quickly is that companies love when you show you care. Before I apply and interview, I always do a brief sweep of the company’s website to look at any case studies they have and reference them in the interview. The more specific you can be, the better! Show your passion when you talk about their clients and how your interests align with their work.
Prep, Prep, and More Prep!
Before I do any interview, whether it be a huge agency or a boutique firm, I create a document where I write down both answers for common interview questions and more specific ones that I think the company may ask. I cannot recommend this enough because it makes you feel so much more prepared, and you have less of a chance of being caught off guard by a recruiter’s questions.
Some that I always prepare include:
Tell me about yourself…
Why this internship / this company?
Favorite project from the company?
Greatest strengths / weaknesses?
What skills do you have that would be beneficial for this position?
What are you passionate about?
For PR specifically, where do you get your news?
Be Persistent
Persistence and continued effort are some of the biggest keys to ensuring that you land an internship. It can be so frustrating at times to not hear back after weeks from applications you gave so much effort to, but it will be so worth it in the end. You will probably be tired after applying to 39 internships, but you never know if the 40th will be the one that works out. Continue to follow up after interviews, always with a thank you, and again if you don’t hear back. If you show you’re excited about a position and convey sincere interest, that will stand out to recruiters and will work in your favor.
Happy application season!
Happy Valley Comm 