Taking Initiative: Locking in a Summer Internship during the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 31, 2020, 1:00PM EDT
During this uncertain time, you are probably wondering what will happen next because schools have suspended classes and dorm rooms are closed. As a college student, keep in mind this is not the new normal. This situation shall pass and you want to be prepared. If you have attended a college career fair and are looking for a summer internship, begin creating a list of companies you would love to work for and use those business cards collected in your backpack with the names of the people you need to contact. Many companies may have closed their offices due to COVID-19 precautions, encouraging their employees to work from home. Despite these circumstances, human resources (HR) professionals are still available through their companies’ email accounts. In fact, several companies are using video-chatting to screen and interview candidates.
Here are a few suggestions to navigate this time while you are at home:
1. Visit every company’s website from your list.
2. Review their mission, vision and values along with current job openings.
3. For opportunities you are interested in, contact their HR representative via email. Introduce yourself and indicate your interest in an internship, especially highlighting your college student status/major and knowledge of the company.
4. If you meet the company’s hiring need, be prepared to email your cover letter and resume.
5. If you do not have a resume or it is outdated, check online to see if your college career center has a “contact us” link. Use it to verify if your college career center is “open for business” to review and correct resumes/cover letters via email or video-chat. Another option is to use a free resume review site such as ResumeWorded or Top Resume (https://www.findmyprofession.com/care...).
6. Don’t forget about references. Contact professors, coaches, and college employers to build your reference list.
7. Use this time wisely. Don’t give up if you are serious about working as a summer intern. When a company states that it has suspended hiring for the foreseeable future, go to the next one on your list. Those who are ready to hit the ground running when the economy comes back will be in the lead to hire the best of the best - You.
8. Be well and stay safe!
Valarie R. Austin is the author of The Student’s Comprehensive Guide For College & Other Life Lessons. She has a wealth of knowledge on the subjects of career and college preparation. She also conducts career and college readiness workshops for high school students and parents. Check out her author’s pages on www.linkedin/in/valarie-r-austin, www.goodreads.com/valarie_r_austin and www.amazon.com/author/valarie_r_austin. A Youtube.com review of her book can found at https://youtu.be/xy_GSHlJsa0
The Student's Comprehensive Guide For College & Other Life LessonsLa Guía Comprensiva del Estudiante para la Universidad & Otras Lecciones de Vida
