This is a guest post written by Elizabeth Cutten, a writer for FindCollegeCards, a college blog with over 750 articles all focusing on anything college.
Many college students out there have the assumption that an Internship is very easy to land. What a lot of students soon find out is that it’s no different than finding a job. Since major companies and corporations want quality talent, they are going to weed through Interns, just like they do their salaried employees.
So, the question is today, “How can I network effectively for an Internship?”
Be friendly with your professors
In college, what you’re going to find out is that a lot of your professors have worked a different career, or job sometime in their life. It doesn’t hurt to mingle with them every once in a while, and ask questions. Everyone on this planet has some sort of connection. Ask them about their previous works, and also ask if they know of anyone that can help you land an internship.
You can never have enough friends
Colleges are jammed packed with kids, and the more social able you are, the more you’ll get to know other people. If you ask a lot of people about their jobs today, you will find that they either found it through someone they knew, or they worked their way up from the bottom, whether it be an internship, or entry level position. It’s essential that you get out there, and chat with others. It sounds very cliché, but the more people you know, the more you’ll be able to connect in life.
Join groups online
I love the Internet, and with websites such as MeetUp.com, you can meet other people that share the same interests as you. Find a local meeting in your area, and join it. Every time they hold a meeting, show up, introduce yourself, and chat. Again, you’ll be surprised at how many people can help you with whatever you need.
Join chat rooms and forums
Just like joining groups in person, you can have virtual meetings online as well. Connect with other people in chat rooms, and message boards. Become a regular contributor, and you will soon find out that you can connect with people in both the virtual world, as well as the real world.
Surf the web
Again, with the Internet, it’s filled with endless information, and if you don’t feel you can connect with the right people, you can check internship related websites online. What you’ll want to do is search out “internship only” classifieds, and see if there’s anything made for you. Remember, a lot of the times, an unpaid internship leads to a job offer if you can prove to the employer that you know what you’re doing, and you know how to do it right.
The lesson learned here today is that if you want to network effectively, you’re going to want to be social able. The more outgoing you are, the more you’re going to increase your chances at landing a gig in the working world. Try some of these tips above, and see if you can land your dream internship.
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