Trying to get an internship can feel like a never-ending loop. You need experience to land one, but how do you get experience without one?
Where do you even begin? Should you apply online?
Reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn? Ask around? Suffice it to say the whole process is extremely overwhelming.
Plus, it’s frustrating when you send out application after application only to hear nothing in return (or rejections).
If you’re worried you don’t stand a chance with so much competition, we’ve got your back!
This blog will tell you exactly how to get an internship, even if you’re starting from scratch.
Let’s begin!
How Internships Help Build Experience & Connections
Life isn’t fair—or at least, that’s what we tell ourselves.
A guy, apparently non-serious back in college, landing a lucrative opportunity at a multinational firm might feel like a joke.
To top it off, someone will tell you how the class topper is stuck with mediocre jobs.
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So, is that just pure luck? Nope!
Here’s a lesser-known fact: being a bookworm doesn’t guarantee success in the real world.
Your skills, experience, and connections do.
And here are three ways internships help you build these things.
1. Develops Soft Skills
College will teach you how to solve a differential equation or the process of DNA replication, but it won’t tell you how to resolve conflicts, read body language, and manage time. An internship will.
It gives you an opportunity to interact with professionals and adults outside your family and friends.
The internship teaches core soft skills and invaluable lessons on communicating effectively, assessing people based on their body language, and more.
2. Expands Network
Like it or not, we live in a world where referrals are important. Before you nod in disgust, answer this question:
Would you rather hire a complete stranger for a crucial task, or would you lean towards someone who comes highly recommended?
We both know the answer is obvious.
An internship allows you to establish and expand your network.
You get to meet people from your field of interest, build professional relationships, and impress them with your soft and hard skills.
So, the next time someone asks if they ‘know a guy,’ you’ll be the first person they will think of!
3. Offers Practical Experience
Sure, you can learn all you want from books, but real lessons always come from living. Remember, there’s always a difference between theory and practical!
Internships show you what it really means to step out there, work, earn money, and put everything you learned into practice.
It also offers you an easy way to transition into the real world.
How to Find the Right Internship for Your Career Goals
The more people, the more stories.
Everyone will give you a different answer to how to get an internship with no experience, but let us reveal a shortcut.
Undetectable AI features a wonderful AI Auto Job Applier that takes up the responsibility of finding you a job.
All you need to do is follow these three simple steps and let it take care of the rest:
- Sign Up: Visit the Undetectable AI website and sign up using your email. Next, link it with your LinkedIn account and upload your latest resume.
- Set job search filters: Define your preferences and use filters to customize your job search.
- Rest assured: Automate the job application process now so the tool can keep applying to jobs that perfectly match your interests and qualifications, even when you’re offline.
So, how hard is it to get an internship now? Not nearly as hard as it used to be!
How to Get an Internship (Step-by-Step)
How to get an internship in high school? Or How to get an internship in college?
Potato, potahto.
It doesn’t really matter if you’re still a student, a recent grad, or switching fields. The process remains, more or less, the same.
Step 1: Create a Strong Resume
Your resume is your first interaction with a hiring manager. Do you want it to be blank, dull, and unattractive? Definitely not.
Just by the way, you don’t need to have years of experience under your belt to have a strong resume.
Even if you’re fresh out of college, you still have valuable experiences to highlight.
For example, if you managed a college event, that’s project management.
If you worked on a research paper, that’s analytical thinking. If you volunteered at a local shelter, that’s teamwork. Remember, it’s all about how you present yourself.
If creating a resume feels daunting, we have a quick fix for that too, i.e., Undetectable AI’s Resume Builder!
This tool will design your resume within minutes.
All you have to do is pick a template and choose industry-specific keywords to customize your resume.
Step 2: Write a Compelling Cover Letter
Your resume alone isn’t enough to tip the scales in your favor, especially if you’re applying to a role with high competition.
Take it as if it is your chance to talk directly to the recruiter and explain why you’re the perfect fit for the internship.
It’s where you can share things your resume can’t, like what sparked your passion for this field. Maybe it runs in your family, or maybe it aligns with your personal values.
You can’t mention these details in your resume since it’s a structured document, and there’s a difference between a cover letter vs resume.
But a cover letter? That’s where you can tell your story and build a real connection.
Sadly, writing isn’t everyone’s strong suit. Not all of us can take a simple idea and make it hit harder.
Take this, for example: saying “I’m tired” gets the point across, but “I feel like a phone stuck at 1% with no charger in sight”? That makes you feel it.
Don’t worry! We’re not going to suggest taking a writing class just to craft a great cover letter.
Why go through all that when Undetectable AI’s Cover Letter Generator can do it for you?
It’s a simple and quick solution that requires little to no contribution of yours.
You could either manually input your personal and job specific details, or import data from your LinkedIn profile.
The tool will analyze the information and write you the perfect cover letter for your internship application. How amazing is that? Pretty, I reckon!
Step 3: Apply Efficiently to Multiple Internships
Considering how much effort goes into applying for just one internship, it’s understandable if you want to wait for a response before sending out more applications.
A word to the wise? Don’t wait and keep applying.
Even the most experienced professionals don’t land an interview on their first try, so waiting after one application is pretty much wasting time.
Of course, you don’t have to do this all on your own. As mentioned earlier, let Undetectable AI’s Auto Job Applier do the job for you.
Our tool will apply to all the right internships for you before you even know it!
Step 4: Prepare for Internship Interviews
So, your resume and cover letter did the job and landed you an interview. What’s next? The ball is in your court now.
Whether or not you get the internship depends on how well you do at the interview.
You can’t predict what the interviewer is going to ask, but you can prepare in advance.
Get researching. Learn all that you can about the company and watch interview preparation videos to gain a basic idea of the types of questions asked.
Not to mention, invest in looking presentable and show up on time—there are bonus points for that!
Step 5: Follow Up & Accept the Offer
If you don’t hear back from the recruiter a few days later, that’s okay.
You can reach out for a follow-up as well. Be polite and show how genuinely interested in the opportunity you are.
For example, instead of saying:
“I haven’t heard back yet. Did I get the internship?” (Sounds impatient and desperate.)
Try saying:
“I hope you’re doing well! I wanted to follow up on my application and see if there are any updates. I’m very excited about the opportunity and would love to know the next steps.”
This keeps things professional and shows enthusiasm without sounding desperate. If you get the offer, congratulations! Respond promptly, express gratitude, and confirm any details before accepting.
You can learn more about how to accept a job offer here.
Where to Get Help in Landing an Internship
Learning how to get an internship and how to apply for one are two different things. We’ve already talked about the application process.
Now, let’s discuss where to find the opportunities.
The following are ways to get leads:
1. Use University Resources
If you’re wondering how to get an internship in college, you simply need to look around in your campus.
Many colleges and universities have a dedicated career service office for students.
If your university has one, you can visit it to access internship resources, resume workshops, mock interviews, and more.
Some institutions even have an internship coordinator, a person specifically hired to help students find and apply for internships.
Yup, they get paid for doing so!
2. Build Your Network
This can’t be stressed enough: let people know you’re looking for an internship! Your connections might recommend you to the right people or even pass along your resume.
Also, don’t miss out on any industry conferences and workshops you hear of.
These events are goldmines for networking, and they’ll give you a much-needed chance to meet professionals and learn from experts.
3. Explore Online Job Platforms
Contrary to popular belief, social media isn’t all about memes, reels, and viral videos. Some of these apps can actually help you in your professional journey.
With everything going online, it’s no surprise that you can now land jobs using online platforms, too. LinkedIn and Indeed are just a few off the top of my head.
Some people get lucky on Discord as well (although it can be a bit tricky).
If you don’t have an account on these platforms yet, sign up right now, especially on LinkedIn and Indeed.
You’ll be surprised to view the hundreds of job listings for every field you can think of.
FAQs About Getting an Internship
When Should I Start Applying for Internships?
If you’re a college student, it’s best to start applying for internships at least a year before you graduate.
This will give you ample time to find a good opportunity and get a taste of the real world before you really have to step out.
Can I Get an Internship Without Experience?
Of course. You can fill your resume with your skills and valuable volunteering experience to show what you’re capable of.
Besides, recruiters don’t really need experienced individuals for internships. They need skillful people with credible academic backgrounds.
How Many Internships Should I Apply For?
While there’s no hard and fast rule for this, it’s generally recommended to apply to 15-20 internships at the same time. This increases your chances of landing at least one opportunity.
What Are the Best Fields for Internships?
Although subjective, the best fields for internships are usually business and management, healthcare and medical, and journalism and media communications.
Conclusion
The question of how to get an internship haunts every fresh grad and college student.
But hopefully, it doesn’t feel so scary anymore after reading this guide!
Besides, on the brighter side, it’s not so much work anymore, either.
Thanks to Undetectable AI’s incredible tools, applying for internships just got a whole lot easier.
So, just sign up at Undetectable AI today and let it create your resume, write the perfect cover letter, and apply to jobs for you.
Meanwhile, you can prepare for the one thing you can’t outsource—interview!
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