Before I even looked into individual internships, I made certain that my resume was up to date and professional looking. At first, I analyzed a sample resume from my roommate’s business class, but I realized it did not present an accurate picture of my computer skills. I skimmed through a few books on resumes, but I found that the best way to learn is by asking a computer science upperclassman who has already been through the entire process. I eventually found a senior with a good resume to emulate. However, it is important to do more than simply reproduce another person’s work. To impress a prospective employer, create a resume that shows what unique traits you can bring to their company. For example, I chose to leave in my Boy’s State credential from high school, which showed I have been recognized for my leadership ability. Not surprisingly, this came up later in an interview, and proved that leadership is one of my strong characteristics.
The best way to advertise your availability is to post your resume on JMU’s job connections web service, MadisonTrak. Also, check with friends and family connections, as they might be able to set you up with a good internship position.
After you post your resume on MadisonTrak, you can apply to companies that are interviewing at JMU. This has numerous benefits over simply mailing your resume out to random companies. The greatest advantage of MadisonTrak is that interviewers come to JMU for the interview process. This allows you to schedule interviews around your classes. Job fairs at JMU are another good way to find out about recruiting companies. Overall, I recommend sticking to JMU-affiliated companies while finding out about job openings because they provide the highest chance of being offered a position.
It is also important to research the companies you are interested in. The Internet is a great resource for current events on corporations. While company websites have a wealth of information, they usually put a positive spin on everything. Do not be afraid to find out about negative aspects such as low profits, layoffs, and scandals. Sometimes these negative aspects can make great questions during the interview as long as you carefully word what you ask. Showing an interest in the company by coming to the interview with general knowledge about how it earns money is the first step towards landing the internship you want.
Eventually, both Accenture and Freddie Mac contacted me for interviews. Freddie Mac was my first interview, and luckily it was the only one I needed to land a solid job. I bought a new dark blue suit and went to the career center in Sonner Hall without putting pressure on myself to get everything right the first time. Despite my modest expectations, everything went incredibility well and I actually had a good time. A couple of weeks later, a recruiter in human resources from Freddie Mac contacted me to offer a summer internship position. I accepted the position after thinking about it for a few days. Over the course of the next few weeks I worked out the details of my assignment with Freddie Mac and prepared to start two weeks after spring finals.
Looking back on the process, I believe part of my success was not worrying about landing an internship the first time. Although Freddie Mac was the first company I interviewed with, I knew I had other opportunities, which let me relax during the interview process. By being relaxed and focusing on presenting your best side, landing an internship is not difficult if you have good credentials and references.
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