How to land an amazing internship in the fall

1. Identify 10 companies you'd love to work for.

Where would you LOVE to have an internship? What companies are accessible to you? Develop a list of your top 10. This will give you some direction when it comes to getting your foot in the door.

2. Do your homework.

Once you’ve decided what companies you’d want to work for, do a little research. What does this company do? What makes it a cool place to work? Why do you appreciate, respect, or admire this company? Being able to articulate these things is critical to standing out.

3. Reach out to people who work there.

Start networking your way into the companies by inviting people to connect on LinkedIn. Reach out to a few people who work for the companies you’re interested in and request to connect. Remember to include a note in your invitation so they know who you are and why you’d like to chat with them!

4. Set up informational interviews.

When these people connect, immediately send a message and start chatting. Show your interest in the company based on what you learned, and ask them if they’d be willing to grab coffee or take a 20 minute phone call with you so you can learn more about the company, what it does, and why they like working there. This will allow you to build a relationship, and give you an opportunity to learn about internship opportunities.

5. Update your materials.

Update your resume and write a disruptive cover letter that gets their attention. If your contact offers to send along your information, you want to have it ready. Don’t keep them waiting!

You can land an amazing internship in the fall by following these tips.