Looking for an internship? Start on the Web

Do you get your driving directions from the Internet? How long has it been since you used a real paper phone book? Have you actually written a letter with ink and stationery since you came to college? If you use the Internet for everything else, it's only natural to use it to find an internship as well.\nThe search\nBesides the general job search Web sites such as www.hotjobs.com and www.thejobresource.com, which help people find employment, there are more specific job search sites, such as www.journalismjobs.com (a personal favorite) and the nonprofit career center www.idealist.org. Also, trade organizations sometimes have a job search option on their sites, such as the Society for News Design (www.snd.org) or the American Psychological Association (www.apa.org).\nBut don't forget the most obvious resource of all: the company Web site. If you have a particular company in mind for which you would love to work, check out the company site. Most companies have a section called "Work for us" or "Career opportunities." Not only will this give you a chance to contact the specific person in charge of hiring interns, you can find out more about the company while you're there. The job description on company Web sites is also generally more descriptive than one might find elsewhere. \nResumes\nYou might have already discovered the joy of searching for jobs on the Web, but have you tried applying online? Imagine: Instead of making that trip to Kinko's the night before all your internship application materials must be postmarked, you could send your resume and work samples via e-mail, weeks ahead of the deadline. Or mere minutes ahead.\nHere's what you do: Create a basic text file to save in your e-mail account, so you can send your resume to anyone at any time. It won't be fancy or well-designed, but it will contain all the vital information potential employers need to know. Don't bother trying to align things in the center or on the right: it will be messed up if the message is forwarded to others in the company. But do try to space things out vertically. While this does not have to be the prettiest message, it helps if your entire resume isn't all one paragraph. Add headings like "Education" and "Experience" just like you would on a regular resume.\nCover letters\nThe great thing about applying for a job online is that it requires less formality than an ordinary cover letter would, as long as you don't turn it into a "Wazzup?" message. The cover letter you sent with your resume online should be a short note explaining who you are and why you want to work for that particular company. Be creative, but don't make it too long: People have short attention spans when it comes to reading e-mail. Also, as with a paper cover letter, make sure to ascertain the person's name to whom you should address it. And make an effort to learn the person's gender if the name is questionable. You don't want to insult your possible future boss first thing.\nSuggestions\nOne good idea is to create a Web page of your own with your resume and work samples on it. HTML isn't difficult to learn, and it's much easier for a potential employer to go to your Web site and check out your resume and experience all at once than to pass around a packet of papers and risk losing them. Plus you can provide links to previous employers' Web sites and to your references' e-mail addresses. And that's not to mention how impressed your future employer will be to see you've learned how to do Web design, especially if the site looks good and Web design isn't your chosen field. \nWhile these tips will work beautifully with some companies, you will probably still have to send in hard copies of your resume and work samples to some. Keep in mind that not everyone is prepared to move to a paperless society yet. Make sure to keep a backup of any computer files you might need to print out for later submission, as well as a paper copy of your resume in case you need a quick photocopy.