If you're looking at being one of the many career interns out there, you need to remember that hundreds of others might be looking at the same internship that you are. This means you have to apply as quickly as possible! Also note that some companies might not advertise that they are looking for internships, but nonetheless everyone needs an intern.
If you're looking to have your internship in the summer, then you should start looking in the fall. It might sound inconvenient, but rest assured everyone else is doing the same thing, and you don't want to fall behind. But there are a few other things that you will need to do before you can take advantage of an internship opportunity.
Because there are so many other people going for the same position, you need to do something that makes you stand out. Keep in mind that interviewing for an internship is the same as interviewing for an actual job. They're going to ask you the same questions and you need to be prepared for them. First of all, you need to evaluate yourself.
Who are you? What do you want? Why are you here? These might seem like obvious questions, but if asked right now, do you think that you could answer them with honesty and accuracy? If the answer is no, then you still have a lot of work to do!
One of the most important things that career interns should know is where they plan to go in their career. In other words, what do they hope to accomplish with this internship. You're going to be asked this question, and it would be prudent to not look at the person interviewing you and say, ''Well I want your job''. That may be true, but most higher-ups in a company are actually in constant fear of that happening. Has anyone seen the Hudsucker Proxy? You don't want to see a repeat of that.
Career interns have their work cut out for them, but that doesn't mean it won't be worth it in the end. The important thing is sticking with it. You may get turned down a few times, and that's actually pretty normal. But you need to get your internship, primarily because there are many schools that require you hold an internship in your field before you graduate. There is no substitute for practical experience! So hit the ground running and make sure that you know everything there is to know to make an impact on your field from day one.
