By: Julia Amting
Overwhelming can be an understatement when it comes to looking for internships and figuring out how to get them.
A wonderful thing about the IPR program at CMU is having access to an integrative education with a broad variety of courses in journalism, design, marketing and business. As a newbie, it’s easy to feel clueless when it comes to making resumes and cover letters that employers notice.
Rachel Esterline-Perkins, CMU alumna and communications strategist at Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, attended a PRSSA meeting to share her experience with selecting interns. She shared what to do and what NOT to do when it comes to internships and job searches.
Missed the meeting? Here are a few of her tangible tips for beginners about resumes, internships and interviews.
The resume
Keep it to one page. I know it can be challenging, but if you’re searching for an internship or entry-level position you most likely do not have enough experience for a two-page resume. Use LinkedIn as a holding space for everything you’ve done and only put experience you think the employer would be interested in on your resume.
Include your waitress job! It may seem like irrelevant experience, but if you have kept the same job for consecutive years and gleaned some leadership skills, it is something a potential employer will be interested to hear about.
Tweak your resume for each job or internship. It will be helpful to review the job description and adjust the experience you share.
Cover letter
Tell a story to share why you are uniquely interested in a position. As a beginner, it can begin with “You may have noticed I’ve never worked in public relations…” and go on to discuss why you are willing and excited to learn or why you’re passionate about the company’s mission.
Interview
Research. Become familiar with the company and their mission statement. It’s okay to call and ask who might be interviewing you, and how you can best prepare.
Arrive early and prepared. Be 5-10 minutes early and bring a copy of your resume and portfolio.
Have some questions ready. Interviewers typically expect you to have questions for them as well, so it is constructive to have a few prepared. Some examples are:
What are some projects I would have the opportunity to work on?
What’s the culture like here?
What kind of mentorship opportunities could I have?
What do you think would be the biggest challenge I would face in this position?
Create an “interview leave-behind”. After an interview, create a lasting impression by leaving behind a copy of your resume, writing samples, a social media sample or potentially a sheet that answers some of employer’s frequently asked questions such as: Why should we hire you? One word that describes you? How do you describe yourself?
Send a thank you note! Always send a written thank you note immediately after an interview. It’ll make you stand out and it usually means a lot to the people interviewing you.
Now, you are ready to attend the PRSSA internship fair on Nov. 6th from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the UC Rotunda and can use these tools when applying for an internship or job.
You’ve got this.