How to Get an Internship as a Freshman

By -

Myth: “Freshmen don’t get internships”

Fact: Although getting an internship your freshmen year may seem daunting or impossible, I am here to tell you that it is 100% possible. 


Explore your career options. . . the world is yours!
As a freshman, I followed a few simple guidelines and recommendations which ultimately landed me an internship with Procter & Gamble for the summer after my freshmen year! It is never too early to start getting ready for applications and career fairs. The following list will help you check-off the best ways to start preparing for an internship before you even arrive on campus:

1. Research Companies


 Start looking into what type of work you want to be doing in the future. Depending on your interests, such as cars, robotics, chemistry, etc. start researching what different companies have to offer and even what companies are known for hiring freshmen. Once you h
ave a list of potential companies, dive a little deeper and take notes on what they value and what their company has been working on. Knowing about a company before you apply or speak to them at a booth, will give you a huge advantage because it demonstrates your interest.

2. Create/Update your Resume

 Whether you already have a resume or are starting new, always make sure you are following key formatting rules. One of the easiest ways to start a resume is by googling templates and filling in your information. Once you have a rough draft of your resume, have a few different people look over it such as friends, family, or even professors. That way, when you arrive on campus you can go straight to the CCO where they will look over your resume for free and give you professional advice.

3. Get Involved! 

Before you can even have things to put onto your resume you need to start getting involved in clubs and organizations. As soon as you arrive on campus begin looking for ways to get involved and take on leadership both inside and outside of your major. Showing that involvement and leadership from the start will help you stand out when it comes to applying for jobs.


4. Write an Elevator Pitch

First impressions mean everything and at career fairs you only have about 1-3 minutes to get your pitch across. So, start thinking about what things you have been involved with and what you really took away from those clubs that you can now apply to an engineering position. Like the resume, hundreds of examples can be found online to get you started. And once you have a pitch, practice it over and over again to anyone who will listen. The more comfortable you are, the better you will come across when it comes time to meet recruiters.

5. Create a LinkedIn Profile

 Before career fairs even begin or applications open, recruiters start looking for potential internship candidates. And a huge part of this pre-recruiting process takes place through LinkedIn. By simply going to the website, creating a profile, and attaching your resume, you are opening yourself up to so many more opportunities. I would have never heard about Procter & Gamble if it weren’t for them pre-recruiting me on LinkedIn. So, create your profile as soon as possible and start making connections!

Getting a head start on preparation will give you a huge advantage and really increase your chances of finding the perfect internship freshmen year. Besides getting ready on your own, always take advantage of the resources that Purdue offers such as
the CCO where you can do resume reviews, mock interviews, and professional head shots. Purdue wants you to succeed, so get started now and set yourself up for an amazing internship after your freshmen year!

Have any tips or questions about getting internships? Let us know by emailing us at purdue.welink@gmail.com or tagging @PurdueWIEP on social media!

-Megan Tandarich
WE Link Leadership Team


Stay Connected with Purdue WIEP!
Email: purdue.welink@gmail.com
Twitter: @PurdueWIEP
Instagram: @PurdueWIEP
Facebook: Purdue Women in Engineering
Blog: purduewiep.blogspot.com


Purdue Women in Engineering

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Purdue Housing

By -
Image
One of the many concerns incoming freshmen have is what to do regarding their housing options. In addition to the roommate selection process, you may be interested in seeing your on-campus options in terms of amenities and the communities available within the building. For example, when I accepted my admission to Purdue as a freshman, I knew I was interested in a standard double that I had experienced at a summer college program. To ensure my University Residences housing, I applied to Vertically Integrated Projects so that I would be able to pursue a research project as a freshman while also guaranteeing my housing within Earhart Hall through the connected learning community. For more information on learning communities, read our previous blog! Many freshmen will live in a residence hall, even if they are not in a specific learning community. Now, as a Resident Assistant or RA in Earhart Hall, I have been trained on the term “residence hall”; our halls go beyond a traditional “dormito
Read more

Top 10 Extracurriculars Purdue Students Want You to Join Outside of Engineering

By -
Image
1. Purdue University Dance Marathon (PUDM):  The biggest student-run organization on campus! You can join as a dancer, where you get to fundraise leading up to the 18-hour long event or be even more involved and join a committee! Some of the committees include Riley Relations, where you fundraise to sponsor events for the Riley families throughout the year & are paired with a Riley family for the night of the event, Special Events Committee, where you organize 5K’s and other events around campus throughout the year, and so much more! 2. Boiler Gold Rush (BGR):  Whether it be as a new student, a team leader (TL), or even a Supervisor, there are so many ways to get involved with BGR! This week-long event is held the week before classes start in August. As a new student, it is your first chance to meet your new colleagues and participate in many games, fountain runs, and other fun activities throughout the week. It is also a great way to familiarize yourself with the campus an
Read more

A very (sub)objective review of dining options at Purdue

By -
Image
Jenn and her friends after the Thankgiving dinner Food is an integral part of our day. For some people, the very first thing they do in the morning is eat breakfast. I personally prefer my cup of coffee to a stack of waffles. Nonetheless, food has the power to pick up a bad mood, enhance a good mood, and even ease the stress you are feeling about exams and homework. The awareness I have of how food impacts my mood is recently found since I started college in August. at home I usually came home to my mom or dad making something delicious in the crockpot. Suddenly I arrive at college and there are so many options that it can get overwhelming at times to figure out what to eat. Navigating the dining options at college did not seem like something I should have been worried about, yet it was something that took a month of experimenting to perfect.  The key is knowing where to go and what is consistent. I decided to help you out and give you some insight into how I view each dining option on
Read more