“What are your summer plans?” As 12-degree days start to make their way back to Montreal, so too does the topic of summer plans. How about an internship?
While internship application periods vary depending on the field, late winter can often be a busy period with many job openings being posted and deadlines looming. Here are some valuable tips and resources to help make this process a little bit less painful.
Set aside a dedicated internship day
With school and other responsibilities, internship applications can get lost in the shuffle. Time batching, when you set aside one day a week to focus on a particular task, will pay off in terms of productivity.
Head to a café or any location outside of your usual routine and allocate three to four hours to research and work on applications—you’ll thank yourself later for this commitment.
Get organized
Being organized before you start your search is incredibly important to help you stay on top of the entire process. Some may prefer project management software like Notion, while others may choose a simple spreadsheet. Regardless of your platform of choice, having a central place that holds all relevant information such as the position and company name, required material, deadline, links to applications, and emails of contacts will prove invaluable.
It is also key to keep tabs on which materials you have sent to each application. You should be sending a tailored version of your CV and cover letter to each job, so when it comes time to interview, you want to know what information the interviewer has seen.
The search
There are many tried and true places to search for internships. First, there are public sites, such as Indeed, where users can browse and apply for internship postings made by companies. Another place to search is LinkedIn, a professional site where users can network, apply for internships, and be recruited by employers. One of the benefits of LinkedIn is the ability to connect directly with current employees at your companies of interest. This can help tremendously with not only your search but also with making your application stand out in the hiring process.
School resources, such as myFuture, Workday, and faculty-specific internship offices, provide a host of specific internship programs that are of interest to students.
Your McGill email is another great place to find internship opportunities, as faculty coordinators and professors will often forward openings to students. Setting aside a specific folder for these emails will help you make sure you don’t miss any opportunities.
Finally, don’t be afraid to use your McGill connections. Reaching out to professors, or alumni can be a great way to search for potential opportunities, and maybe even get a referral.
Or… create your own internship
Just because a company doesn’t have an internship posting doesn’t mean that they don’t offer one, or are not open to creating an internship program. Don’t be afraid of sending cold emails or making cold calls if you don’t see an internship available at an organization of interest. You can find tons of tips online for cold-calling effectively.
The applications
Applying to internships is a job in itself: It requires time and attention to detail. With enough practice, you’ll know how to tailor your CV and cover letter to each opportunity. Highlight your past work, volunteering, leadership experience, and skills in your CV, while using your cover letter to explain why you are the best fit for the role.
Some final tips
Be creative. This is just one step in your long career process so it can be a great time to branch out and try new things. Finally, don’t be afraid to ask for help. McGill Career Planning Service (CaPS) offers students a host of resources, from workshops to career guidance appointments. You can get help at any stage in your search and application process, whether you’re just writing your CV or prepping for a final interview. Best of luck!
