With modern technology, it is easier than ever to enter the job market, which also means that the competition has never been more fierce. Employers expect applicants to have professional and relevant experience before they are hired. To make yourself stand apart from the rest, it is imperative to know how and when to apply for internships. 

Look in the right places

News flash, it’s 2020. Companies are increasingly posting their full time opportunities, contract jobs, and internship positions online hoping that bright and worthy talent like yourself finds it and applies. Fortunately for you, the internet is your superpower. It’s incredibly easy now to know when and where the opportunities will be listed and what you need in order to get them. Luckily, we’ve done some research and found a few websites that dominate in placing high quality college students in the jobs and internships of their dreams. You’re welcome.

• Wayup’s platform specializes in serving as a modern and ever changing internship board for tech savvy students to apply. It’s easy to use and has helped our clients find and secure the internships they want. Oh, and the best part is, Wayup is free.
• The Hired platform is similar to Wayup, but they throw in a nice bonus when they successfully place you with an internship or job and you get hired: $1,000 cash. We know, it’s a little crazy. You should definitely head over and check them out, like right now. Their setup is relatively easy, all you need is an updated resume and you’re ready to go.
• Internships.com is a self-service website in which you’re required to manually apply for each opportunity. We know, it’s tedious. However, our clients have had amazing success and it shows no signs of slowing down. Be sure to set the search criteria to a location near your home (or desired work location) so you get accurate prospects. This website is proof that time can be money.

Have an impeccable resume

In the world of online job searching, there is a phrase that holds true each and every time (and yes, we meant to rhyme): no nonsense! Basically, we’re saying that there is an unspoken social norm that you have to abide by in order to receive a return on your investment. In even simpler terms, you need to have an immaculate resume with no spelling or grammar errors in order for the time you spend searching and sending your resume into Applicant Tracking Systems to pay off. Everything on your resume needs to sell your value and market your ability to get the job done. And yes, we know it takes time to skillfully craft and deliver a high quality resume, but it’s worth it when you secure the internship at the end of the day. If you’re having trouble making sure your resume is everything it can be, we can help. 

Monitor social media

If you’re looking for an internship, get on LinkedIn today. No, not tomorrow or next week, because every single day companies are posting internships and articles about what’s going on in their business. LinkedIn is literally a free and helpful outlet to stay in the know and be on your toes about what’s new and when the applications should be sent in. In fact, you can even search for alumni that might work for the company (or industry) you want and reach out for an informational interview about their journey and what they currently do.

LinkedIn also has many features that help recruiters sort through college students profiles and select the students who may be great fits. If you’re serious about having an internship or having a job lined up at graduation, learn about what keywords recruiters are looking for and monitor LinkedIn every day. 

 Apply at the right time

How would you feel if you knew that the countless hours you spent staying up late and uploading your resume were worthless? We’re assuming it’d be somewhere along the lines of miserable. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to avoid this. You need to be up to date with both the deadlines and the hiring trends that occur in the industry you’re trying to enter. Recruiting trends are becoming more complex and the process is starting earlier and earlier every year. We suspect that that average internship is filled almost 5-8 months before the actual start date!

We know this can be hard to comprehend when companies forget to turn off their resume portals, but it’s the hard truth. The best way (and really, the only way) to stay ahead of the game is to be first. Subscribe to receive updates from company websites and apply as soon as opportunities arise. If you don’t, someone else will! In the words of Ricky Bobby, “if you’re not first, you’re last.” So stay on top of those dates to beat out the competition before they beat you. 

Now that you know the best ways to find an internship, it won’t be long before you’re using that relevant experience to find a full-time job. Remember, the opportunities are all in front of you, you just need to know what tools to use. Good luck!