Though we are stuck in the depths of winter, there is light at the end of this cold, blustery tunnel. Summer is not too far off, and sunny days await us. Alas, so does the pressure to land a summer internship. Resumes, recommendation letters, cover letters - it all might seem overwhelming, but don’t panic. We talked to Giff Reed at the Career Development Center and broke down the process.
Build a resume
“The feedback that I give most often is you want your resume to be tailored to the job or internship you’re applying for,” Reed says. Reword your headlines or change the order of your skills. Go to the Career Development Center website or schedule an appointment for some help, or just an extra pair of eyes to look over your work.
Get recommendation letters
Reed’s advice for recommendation letters is to ask for one from a faculty or staff member who actually knows you. Don’t worry about being awkward — part of a professor’s job is to transition students into a career. “Develop relationships with professors early,” Giff says, in order to avoid having to ask last minute for a letter from someone who has only seen your face in class. After you find the right person, he recommends students give plenty of notice and time for them to write it. The last thing you want is something that sounds rushed.
Find housing
After you land the perfect internship, your next step is to find housing, if you’re interning away from home. “Talk to the employer for trusted suggestions,” Reed says. Looking online for local colleges that provide summer housing is also a good option. Use social media to your benefit and post about looking for housing in your internship’s city. You might be surprised by who in your network could be of some help.
Helpful hints
Career Development Center
625 North Jordan Avenue
(812) 855-5234
http://cdc.indiana.edu
Drop-in advising hours: Monday through Friday, 12:30- 4 p.m.
Links for summer housing:
- New York City (NYU): http://www.nyu.edu/summer/housing/index.htm
- Los Angeles (UCLA): https://housing.ucla.edu/summer-housing
- Washington D.C. (George Washington University: http://summerhousing.gwu.edu
