From Class-Goer to Intern

As if this semester could get any better for me, I have even more good news. My first week back on campus, literally my first day back in class, I was offered my top-choice internship on the spot at my interview! You're probably wondering how someone goes from regular class-goer to DC intern so fast, yeah? Surprisingly, here, it is very easy.

Let's talk about internships, because honestly, that's what everyone is talking about. Internships are a huge part of life here at GW, because we are a school that's all about hands-on experience. One of my draws to the university, which goes for most people who commit here, is the fact that you not only get to have the city at your disposal, but you can utilize its resources to get some real, quality resume-boosters while you're a full time student! But, if you're anything like me, the sheer multitude of internships may be enough to scare you into another semester of solely classwork. Here's how I did it, and if you follow the same path, I promise it's virtually foolproof.

Use GWork. This is a service I always have to talk up on my tours, but I'll be honest in admitting I never used it prior to this summer. As I wasn't under Federal Work Study or in need of a steady job while I was at school last year, GWork was something totally under my radar. But as the summer was winding down and I realized I'd be a sophomore in a matter of weeks, I realized it was time to get serious about interning. I signed into GWork, and started from the beginning. Here's the link.

Polish your resume. If you want the high-class internship of your dreams, it usually all starts with a really tight resume. Don't have a resume? Don't be embarrassed, I only made mine this summer so I could get summer work. Lucky for you, there are sample resumes on the GWork website to help you out. More often than not, though, you have a resume, but aren't sure if it's ready to impress. Here's the secret, GW Resume Critic. You can actually submit your resume to this service free of charge, and in a matter of days, will have it either returned or available to be picked up totally edited and assembled to internship perfection! If you have the time, I guarantee you this is worth the trouble. There is a link on GWork to this service!

Field your search. Once your resume is completed, it's time to actually begin your searching. GWork has a bunch of different fields where you can limit the type of results you want; by type of position (intern, part-time, full-time), by field, or by simply typing in keywords. For me, I knew an association I wanted to work for, typed in their acronym, and my dream internship popped up as the first result. Okay, so it might not come that easy for you, and I did continue my searching beyond that first result. If you put in the effort to research around, looking into any results that come up, you can really get a sense of what's out there for you.

Write your (different) cover letters. The cover letter was a concept most foreign to me until this summer, when I realized that all the internships I wanted to apply for required them. If you're as lost as I was, there are even cover letter samples on GWork, so do yourself a favor and look those up. A cover letter is basically an introduction of yourself, why you want this internship, and why the organization or corporation should spend their time considering you. Follow the parameters and they are pretty easy to create, but you DO have to change them for each internship. Try to avoid something generic that you can just insert the name into, because too often do people accidentally send cover letters with a different corporation's name in them. Try not to learn from experience on that one.

Go on interviews. From here on out, it's all you. You put yourself and your experience out there, and you should start hearing back from places you've applied. Be sure to be cordial and speedy in any email or phone contact back and forth, and set up an interview time you can actually get to, not one you'll have to race from your 11:10 to make. Then it's all about selling yourself. So, to do that, you need to know yourself. Know your strengths, know where you want to improve, know what you want out of a specific internship and why you're the right person for it. Give honest, truthful answers instead of formulaic, general ones, and paired with a solid resume you will have an offer in no time.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I did it. I hope that the process goes as smoothly for you as it did for me, and if you need any more advice on how to snag a great internship, you can email me at gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu. Also, use your professors and classmates! Students often get internships through networking within the GW community, so don't be scared to put yourself out there a little. Hopefully I'll soon see you on the metro on your way to work. :)

See you around campus,
Gina Michele