How to Land An Internship or Entry-Level Position

Author: Joe Sanfilippo

Keegan-Michael Key, Lisa Salters, Terry Pegula what do they all have in common? They are all very successful Penn State graduates. Can you name something else they have in common? I can. They all started with entry-level jobs in their field. How do I know that?

Well, I looked it up of course (thanks Google) but also it’s just assumed. No matter how successful an individual might become, I can almost guarantee they began their career with an internship or entry-level job because everyone has to start somewhere.

Internships and entry-level positions are very important as they give you the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of an industry and determine if it is the right fit for you.

However, competition can be fierce these days, and landing your desired position is not always an easy feat. But there’s no need to worry, I’ve hired and trained hundreds of interns and entry-level employees and am glad to share all of the insights from a hiring manager’s perspective.

A. Getting the Interview

Before you can get the job you have to get an interview. Here are some things you need to know about getting an interview. To start, always keep in mind that hiring managers are busy. In many cases, these hiring managers are department managers and are managing hundreds of different tasks, clients, and employees. They may also be picking up the slack for an employee who recently departed the organization.

Why do I bring this up? I point this out because most hiring managers are likely skimming quickly through a folder of tens or hundreds of resumes.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when building your resume:

Use Proper Naming Conventions!
- Not everyone’s going to treat it as a disqualifying factor but if you submit a resume where the file name is just “resume” that is a bit of a red flag to me. Most hiring managers understand that you probably aren’t going to have the specific skill set to fit an entry-level role but often we are seeking characteristics that suggest you will be a fit.
- Attention to detail and organizational skills are soft skills that are important for any position in any industry. By naming your resume correctly, you are displaying that you are detailed and organized and easily separating yourself from those who simply didn’t put the effort forth here. This is how I would do it: Joe Sanfilippo’s Resume (Last Updated: XX/XX/XXXX)
Ensure Your Resume Looks Clean and is free of Grammatical Errors
- Again, your resume is the first reflection of your work to a potential employer. If you can’t get the resume right, how can an employer expect you to do the job correctly? Make sure you have a clean design that accurately reflects the quality of work the business can expect if they hire you. Google has plenty of well-designed templates but if you want to get really creative you can check out tools like Canva for free customizable resume templates.
- If you don’t have the Grammarly Google extension please do that immediately. It’s a game-changer. You can also simply do a Google search for proper spelling. I would also recommend using Google search for synonyms when you need to enhance your copy and eliminate repetitive words or phrases.
Show You Have The Characteristics!
- As mentioned before, a lot of entry-level jobs in the business world don’t necessarily require an advanced skill set. You simply need to show that you are organized, intelligent, and are willing to go the extra mile. When hiring at Today’s Business we look for people who have great work ethic. I’m sure you’ve heard this a lot but many employers aren’t interested in your GPA.
- While a poor GPA is certainly a red flag, our main focus is what you are doing beyond the classroom. We like to hire people with passion and ambition. So if you are in school getting a business degree you should definitely be working a part-time job or participating in extracurricular activities. This shows that you are able to manage your time, juggle multiple things at once, and have the drive that teams are looking for.

B. Nailing the Interview

Once your resume is neat and tidy it’s time to prepare for the interview. After submitting your application I would recommend trying to find someone in the company using your personal network, LinkedIn, or an online tool like Hunter.io to reach out to.

As long as you do so in a professional and courteous way most people won’t mind. In this outreach, you can express to the person that you are applying for a position and would love any feedback about the company, or role. You can even ask to see if they have any advice for the application/interview process. This goes to show that you are really interested and have the ambition to make things happen.

Once you have an interview set up, here are some of my top tips for preparing for the interview:

Be Able to Answer Questions About Your Resume
- This might seem like common sense but if you have something listed on your resume then you better be prepared to talk about it in an effective way. If you have Organization as a skill on your resume expect to be asked a question such as: “Tell me about something you did at your most recent job that required you to be organized?”. Remember to think about all of those soft skills and to have specific examples of when you had to exercise those skills.
Do your research on the company
- Look up the company’s competitors. Read the job description. Look at other jobs within the company. Check out the company’s core values and mission statements. Companies want to see that you did your homework and understand what they do and how you could possibly fit in.
Ask GREAT questions
- Almost every interview ends with you asking questions about the company. Not only is this a time for you to ask anything that you might be interested in learning more about prior to accepting the job but it is a great opportunity to show your capabilities. See below for an example of this:
  - Good: What does a career path look like here?
  - Better: This is my understanding of a career path based on my research. Can you let me know if this is accurate?
- As you can see in the second example question, you can demonstrate that you’ve done your research and put in the effort to learn the role through your questioning. This is a good way to show that you are very interested in the role and are also someone who puts in the work up front which employers love to see.

C. Follow Up

This is probably the most important tip of them all. Companies want people who can see a task through to completion. The task is never done until you get the outcome you desire or receive feedback. By following up with a possible employer you are showing the employer that you are serious about the position and are demonstrating that if you are granted the position you will be sure to take things through to completion.

Lots of people have great ideas but few can execute and that’s what separates the pros and the amateurs within the business world. Not only should you follow up but you should follow up with intention. Here are a couple of things to add in a follow-up email:

Thank the employer for their time
Re-iterate why you are interested in the position and why you feel you are aligned with the company’s core values
Point out any specific highlights from your interview
End with a call to action and plans for next steps

Here’s an example of how you can do this.

“ Hi HIRING MANGAGER,

I just wanted to reach out to thank you again for taking the time to meet with me! I understand that your time is very valuable and it means a lot to me that you were willing to spend some of it chatting with me.

Again, I’m very interested in this role because INSERT WHY YOU APPLIED.

During our interview, you mentioned that in this role I will be responsible for a lot of research for clients. I believe that I am a really good fit for this type of task as research is something that I enjoy and feel I am good at. As discussed, I recently received an A on a project for my Entrepreneurship class that required me to conduct a lot of research. I know we spoke about the project but I’d be glad to share some of my research documents with you if you’d be interested in reviewing them.

If there is anything else that I can share with you prior to making your decision please let me know.

I’m sure you will need time to make your decision but are you able to share a timeline as to when I can expect to receive feedback from you?

Thank you,

FULL NAME”

If you made it this far then you are one step closer to getting your first job in the business world! Remember to always be curious, ask questions, do your research, and enjoy the process!

About the Author

Joe Sanfilippo is an Entrepreneur with expertise in PR & Digital Marketing Expert. Joe has served as the Manager of Growth & Partnerships at Today’s Business for the past 6 years. During his time in this role, Joe has helped the firm win numerous affiliate and influencer marketing awards. He has also interviewed, hired, and trained hundreds of individuals for the company’s internship program. Joe also is known for being the Co-Founder of Undrafted Ventures where he owns and operates a variety of businesses such as a direct-to-consumer eyewear brand, Tomahawk Shades, and an NFL Agency, Upper Edge Sports, just to name a couple.

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