How can I get a headstart on getting a good internship?

zammu91 · 10-22-2009, 11:15 PM

I'm a college freshman, business major. What should I do now that'll make it easier for me to obtain an internship after sophmore year at a renowned company. Basically all big companies seeking interns want "work experience" in the field. So how can I get a headstart and what should I do (as a business major) to get that work experience. By the way I live in NYC, if that helps.

Dawgie · 10-22-2009, 11:25 PM

High GPA and aggression.

BigMike3541 · 10-22-2009, 11:33 PM

I second what Dawgie says. also consider majoring in something challenging.

Dawgie · 10-23-2009, 01:01 AM

Add the challenging major suggestion too!

BCEagle91 · 10-23-2009, 08:18 AM

Get any kind of work experience that you can right now. An on-campus job for a few hours a week (say five to ten) would look good when applying. If you've worked jobs before, that's a plus. Don't work too many hours so that it dings your GPA.

TheDad · 10-27-2009, 02:48 AM

You might need to scale back your expectations for something as high falutin' in the summer after your sophomore year. It's kind of like college admissions to extremely competitive schools for the really spectacular internships.

My D is a research assistant not 18 months out of school. The intern in her unit has an undergrad from Yale and is a Rhodes scholar. As a sophomore, you'll be competing with upperclassmen, recent grads, and grad students...for internships.

Fwiw, re GPA, she was on the review/interview committee. You needed a 3.7 gpa to make the first cut. Over 500 apps for 10 positions requiring different configurations of experience and interests.

BCE is correct, don't let anything ding your GPA if you can help it (in an honest & ethical manner). I don't know if you're at an LAC or a uni, but do the best you can to get any kind of research job doing even the lowest level grunt work. At your stage, *nothing* is beneath you. If it's reading, classifying, and filing reports or cutting newspaper clippings, do it with enthusiasm and pick up all you can, formally and informally. Demonstrate a spectacular work ethic, starting with "if you're on time, you're 10 minutes late" and including "never making injudicious comments about anyone connected with the work at any place, any time."