Finding a job during COVID-19 may seem challenging but we’ve got 4 tips to help you land an internship.
Work on your own projects
If you continually come across companies that have frozen hiring because of COVID-19, start creating your own work. If you are a journalist, try freelancing and/or publish your articles on your own site. For those of you who are designers, continue adding to your portfolios. If you’re in computer science, build something that you’ve always wanted to but never had the opportunity to do.
Honing your skills while you look for a position will strengthen your resume and show you are a self-starter.
Reach out to your would-be supervisor
If your internship got cancelled, try to keep in touch with your would-be supervisor. Cultivate that relationship through Zoom coffee dates and email exchanges. Make sure they are aware of the projects you’re working on. Glean insights from their personal experiences and ask if they can connect you with other people in their industry who have or know of open internship positions.
Create a Video Resume - The Visume
A visume is a resume in video format. It should be about a minute long and include your major, anticipated graduation date, and what skills you can bring to the company. Visumes have many benefits, including the fact that you can articulate your own skills and leave a lasting impression. Creating one doesn’t have to take a lot of time and can be shot on your phone. Here is an example if you need a little inspiration.
Send your visume to recruiters and hiring managers via Linkedin and email with a call to action to schedule a call. There are various studies and stats on when you should send an email to get a good open rate. Usually, Tuesday is a good day to send emails to hiring managers and recruiters, but also experiment and see what works for you. Send as many as you can, even to companies you believe are out of reach.
Take care of yourself
It may seem like you need to jump on every possible opportunity and follow every lead. Make sure you also prioritize your mental and physical health. Being burned out doesn’t do you any good. Don’t be afraid to have a day to yourself and to just breathe and relax.
Many students have lost their internships this summer because of the pandemic. Symba is working hard to make remote internships a possibility for all and to #SaveInternships. Register as an intern on our site so we can help match you with opportunities.
By Anika Pasilis
