A group of students with majors in subjects as diverse as literature, economics and science gathered to present How I Got My Internship in Communications on Thursday to those interested in following in their footsteps this summer. Although their backgrounds and positions varied, they shared some of the same successful techniques in their searches.
Alex Cadet ’17 – whose interdisciplinary major is science, technology and society – emphasized the importance of being able to articulate clearly how what you have studied and experienced relates to the position to which you are applying. Having applied for internships while studying abroad, he also stressed the need to be persistent and to follow up on queries.
Last summer Cadet secured an internship at Wayfair, a national online retailer where 30 alumni are employed. Networking with several young alumni and seeking their assistance with resume and cover letter preparation made a difference. Being able to work as part of a team and maintaining a willingness to learn were key to his success on the job, he said.
A comparative literature major and government minor, Natalie Adams ’17 had an internship at the Curley Company, a public relations firm, where she developed press materials, pitched media outlets and conducted policy research. It was by using Career Center resources that she was able to find this opportunity which she otherwise wouldn’t have uncovered. “The center really helped augment my list. David Bell gave me the names of alumni in p.r. I could politely and persistently reach out to.” Alumni were “more than happy to help,” she noted.
Adams, like Cadet, stressed the importance of being able to express what your skills are and what you have done in the past. Pointing out that she had knowledge of the media from a prior internship was important as well. “Showing them that you can write is great, too,” she added.
Other participants had equally inspiring advice. Caroline Knop ’18, an economics major interested in working in national sports communications, secured an internship with the Utica Comets last spring through focused alumni networking and continues to work with the team this year overseeing team social media accounts and writing press releases and game recaps.
Dana Holloway ’18, a literature major, interned at the Winterthur Museum where she worked in the press room. She stressed the importance of informational interviews and working with peer advisors to review cover letters and resumes.
Merisa Dion ’17, an English major who was a social media intern at Con Artist Collective,
ended the session with this important message. “Be sure to be ready to answer the question, ‘Why do you want to work here?’”
