Next semester I’ve set aside time in my academic schedule for an internship, the only problem being that I don’t have one yet. Ideally, I’ll have a job lined up when I graduate. I don’t want an internship somewhere after I’ve graduated. After five years of school I’m ready for the real deal — a j-o-b. A job. So the idea for now is to get an internship for the spring semester. I want my foot in the door somewhere so when the spring semester ends I’ll not only have the experience, contacts, and training, but also the chance at a full-time position.

So how has the search been going? It would seem as though Boston would be chock full of chances to get coffee for important people; and while I’ve managed to speak to a few of those important people, I haven’t found anything solid yet. I’m starting to worry because time is running out. There have been a few opportunities through the COM’s internship program, but I think the program is designed for students to start interning during the summer, or after they’ve graduated. The holidays are a busy time for people, and many of them aren’t looking to hire interns for the spring semester. The economy stinks right now, and I fear companies may not be looking to hire interns at all. Complicating matter further, some places are unionized and won’t take any “free” help from interns.

So, if you do get lucky and snag an interview, or you are still looking for that perfect place to file papers and get coffee, here are a few tips:

  • Act like a professional, not like a student. If you behave like a student, you’ll be treated like one, If you want the respect you deserve as a serious, hard-working person, show how serious you are. Dress professionally, show up on time and make sure you’re doing professional quality work. You’ve been given a chance, so make it happen.
  • When trying to contact someone, e-mails are a lot easier to dodge than phone calls. E-mails are a great way to make contact, but be sure to follow up with a phone call. Or perhaps a midnight house call.
  • Make sure you know the company and what it does. You don’t want to look stupid and not be up to date on what you might be doing or whom you’re working for. Be inquisitive. Have questions ready to ask: “Can you tell me more about this…?” Or tell them what you want: “I’m interested in…” They love that stuff.
  • Know names, spellings and titles. Nothing can kill your chances faster than misspellings.  If your e-mails, résumé or portfolio have typos, people will assume something is wrong with you.
  • If you have a portfolio to present, make sure you call ahead to find out what format they’d like to view it (i.e. prints, CDs, website, smoke signals, etc.). On the day of your interview, bring the portfolio in multiple formats in the event the Internet is down, or someone’s computer is broken. Also, bring a copy for them to keep.
  • Get some business cards and hand them out like they’re candy. The more people who know your name, usually, the better.
  • If you do manage to get an interview, make sure you contact the interviewers afterward and thank them for their time. Make sure they remember you — and for the good reasons.
  • Smile, stay cool, and have a personal life.  People aren’t looking to hire robots, so be personable and friendly.  The more you can connect with a potential boss, or coworkers, the more they’ll like you and want to hire you.

It’s important to remember you won’t be given an internship; you’ll have to go out and get one. They won’t fall in your lap, so be engaging and be persistent. Everyone has to start somewhere.