Your job or internship will become one of the most priceless opportunities you have to make a strong start in your industry. The experience you gain will be invaluable for your career opportunities, and your resume will provide much better results when you have jobs and internship experience listed. You may have to make a short-term sacrifice in order to gain this experience for your long-term goals.
Working in an area that you enjoy is the most important thing new job/internship seekers should keep in mind. Focus on what your career goals are and find the internship that best matches your interests. If you are focusing on sports marketing, find a sports team to work with. If you already know that the advertising or public relationship aspect of the field is your interest, try to fit into that niche. Once you have your goals set in your mind, you can look for the best jobs and internship opportunities in your field.
Keep in mind that there are many different types of organizations you can work for. Decide whether a Fortune 500 company will match your long-term goals or if you would rather work for a non-profit organization. Both areas give you opportunities that will provide a wealth of knowledge. Decide where you hope to be in the long term so that it is relevant for your job and internship goals.
Two huge determining factors when applying for internships will be location and pay. Unfortunately, many internship positions are considered an extension of your education and pay little or nothing. It is beneficial to be prepared to live on a shoe-string budget while completing your internship. Find ways to fund the time period of your first job or internship in this portion of your education.
If you live in a rural area, you may have to relocate for a quality job or internship, and the relocation expenses may be so large as to be prohibitive. If you have family or friends that can help you make it through an internship in a large city, consider those areas for your internships.
Is college credit essential to you? If you must have the credit for the internship to go towards your graduation, by all means use the credit course. If your job and internship choices are not restricted, you will be free to choose an area that will interest you. The course credit has an up and a down side. The plus side is that the university should already have contact and programs in place. You may also qualify for student loans during this time to help with living expenses. The down side is the restrictions placed on you by program guidelines.
Finding a great internship is just like looking for a job in the professional world. The job market gets more competitive every day, so it is important that you spend time working on your job-seeking skills. Prepare an excellent cover letter, convincing the employer why you are the one they want for the internship within their company. Polish your resume and spend extra time tweaking it to match the particular demands of each position you apply for. Interview skills must also be top notch.
Knowing where your focus is in the advertising fields will make it a much easier process to get your resume and cover letters ready, since that will accentuate your natural strengths. It will also make you a more confident and prepared candidate for interviews. There are so many resources to help you enhance these skills that there is no reason your jobs and internship applications should not get a response when presented professionally.
Now that you are ready to find those jobs and internship positions, what do you do next? With so much competition, it is important to begin looking early for the right positions for you. Much like scholarships, many jobs and internships in the advertising field have deadlines for applications. Visit your college’s career center, search the Internet, find advertising materials, and approach different companies. Visit career fairs, and network. Nothing can overrule good networking and establishing a professional reputation for yourself.
While completing experience-building jobs and internships may seem like a frustrating task, consider it as your version of the residency a doctor has to go through. The on-the-job training will be priceless when you begin your actual job search. The skills you will learn, the networking opportunities you have, and the friendships you are sure to develop will serve you well through your lifetime career. Invest the time to find the right jobs and internship in the advertising business so that you will have a solid building block for your career.
