How early should I start applying for internships?
I hear everyone starts to apply for summer internships in February and March, but I feel like I'm not qualified enough yet to apply for most internships, but would I be too late to get one if I wait until April or May to apply? #internships
2 answers
Erin’s Answer
Hey Hannah,
Great question! The internship search can be scary, but you've come to the right place for advice.
When to Apply
You should start applying for internships as early as possible, and I think if you wait until April or May you will miss out on a lot of great opportunities. As an internship manager, I start lining up students for the summer internship program around January. A lot of college students are starting their internships in May, so I don’t recommend you wait until then. The earlier the better -- so it would be a good idea to start applying as soon as possible.
Your Qualifications
You mentioned that you don’t feel you’re qualified enough yet to apply. But are your qualifications going to increase a dramatically if you push back applying for a month or two? My guess is that you are more qualified than you think, and you just need to re-frame the experience you do have to fit the internships you’re applying to. Look at all the volunteer experience you have, any projects you’ve done in class, all your extracurriculars, etc. Sometimes your qualifications just need a little bit of refining to be a great candidate for the opportunity.
Other Ways In
Another thing I’d like to mention is that your qualifications are not the only way to get an internship. Start asking your friends and family if they know of any opportunities. Those who are referred into internship programs through their network are more likely to get the opportunity, since they already know you. When pursuing an internship opportunity, you can follow up a few times and be extra tenacious to make yourself stand out. I had an intern once email me after she applied, and said she realized she didn’t have that much experience but really wanted to learn from our company. Her honesty made her stand out and I ended up hiring her. So there are always ways in!
It’s never too late to figure out your summer internship plans -- every day I see new internship positions being posted on Indeed. You can absolutely do this, and I recommend starting the process today.
Best of luck, Hannah!
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Gabrielle’s Answer
I’d say take a look around at some internships you would be interested in and thinking about if you would rather wait or start sooner. You can always reach out to the internship program to inquire about what experience they would like you to have!