No BS Advice on How to Get an Internship
If you’re a student today, the situation is rough.
If finding out college doesn’t guarantee a job wasn't enough, AI has pretty much replaced most of your chance to break into a firm.
If you are still trying to push into the professional realm and haven’t made it in Dropshipping yet, this post is for you because this one didn't work:
Bob Patterson
Your Resume, Grades, and College Matter Less Than You Think
It’s hard to admit…especially if you invested in these...but if you ever look at your resume, your GPA is super small on the page. Also, when you are in the workplace after 5 years, you probably don’t even put your GPA on your resume because by that point, you can either do your job or not. Plus, if you do have a high GPA, you sound arrogant and immature flexing it.
Your resume likely has nothing besides a pizza job during high school, so besides clubs, it’s not going to work. Plus, internships will ask you for a resume while the computer filters them out mercilessly. The reality is that everyone is applying with AI produced resumes through computers and even if you have a great one, a big company misses it because they favor personal network over cold hires.
If you are in a competitive space like finance, tech, or consulting, they are picky, but for every other internship, you have a lot more wiggle room.
Local Relationships Beat Brand Names for Your First Job
This is a major blind spot. People often focus on not going to a brand name school or rankings, but the truth is most large companies are supposed to hire locally.
They likely got financial incentives or tax breaks to bring jobs to the area. That’s the deal. If you are in Missouri, Boeing is going to be more privy to hire you for various engineering jobs because most jobs there don’t require you to be from MIT. Plus, you have the advantage of most of the employees also living near you.
Don’t Dismiss Friends and Family
If you put it out there that you are looking to break into an industry or get your first job, friends and family know you the best. If they believe in you and are feeling you out, hop on the opportunity and be grateful.
The first job or logo on your resume is the hardest.
If there is any organization that is well-known use that because the recognition alone will carry you for the next opportunity. It’s tempting to hold out for better (especially if you haven’t tried yet), but most people I see grossly over-estimate their odds of breaking into a space cold. The first opportunity is the hardest. Also don’t be too proud as if you had a connection. Most people who get jobs knows somebody. It’s even more of a factor as you get more experience because everyone has had their horror story of hiring an unvetted stranger.
Be a “Go-Getter”
This one is counter-intuitive to younger people, but it’s okay to sell yourself. In fact, own it.
Whether people say it explicitly or not, there are universal signs of being a winner. If you are younger than 21 and you are actively cold-calling, looking for opportunities, and are actively selling yourself a month before the school year ends, adults take notice.
“Here’s a kid who is prepared and going after it!”
Even if the opportunity isn’t there, they will instantly respect it because they’ve all been there. They'll also remember you when you overcome your initial adversity.
Pitch Yourself and Stomach Rejection
This is similar to the last point and key. If you can pitch yourself well, then wait listen to the other side without flinching and handle a rejection, no business owner can overlook that.
Everyone knows they don’t teach students to sell in school. If you signal you can sell yourself or sell anything for that matter, you are automatically in a separate bin from any college grad. Every business needs to make money. You’d be surprised how quickly they excuse academic performance for sales potential. Long-term promotion is assumed because of people skills.
Imagine your competition:
“Hi sir, my name is so and so I am a student at X University. My dream is to do blank, so I’m president of this club. Can you hire me”
Vs.
“Hi, I’m blank. I’m a student at blank. Do you have any internships available”
“Why should hire you?”
“I’m cheap labor, I’m good with computers, and I will do whatever it takes to make your day easier”
“Well damn…”
“What do you say?”
“Uh, sure”
“Thanks, please send me any paperwork I need to complete and I look forward to working for you. Thanks for the opportunity”
Summary
The entire game has changed and it’s easy to dwell in the negatives. At the same time, most of your competition is still stuck in the old way of doing things that frankly don’t work. If you try some very basic different strategies, you’d be surprised how much opportunity is out there.
Don’t play a loser’s game.