Getting an Internship in High school
Camden Kross, 17, Junior in the IB Program
And here are my two cents about Getting an Internship in High School
I had two jobs and an internship and I’m only a junior. Here are some tips that helped me get to where I am.
Tip 1- Start Early
Get a job as soon as you can. I can't emphasize this enough. When you try to get an internship, the company wants to see that you are committed. If you don't have any experience under your belt, it is a lot harder to prove your commitment! I recommend that if you intend to get an internship during high school, you should get a job right away. Jobs help with the most important part of getting an internship: references. References are basically other people’s testimony saying that you should be hired. Obviously, you want them to gush about your amazing qualities. Show up early to your first job to make a good impression. Even if it's only minimum wage, you will pay your future self back 10 times over if you are kind, early, and always smile. My best references come from the people I’ve known the longest! Let me help out those of you who don't think a job is right for you right now: walking a dog or babysitting counts! I’ve been walking the cutest dog for 4 years (honestly I would do it for free, she's so cute). The owner helped me get both of my jobs and internship!
Tip 2- Go In-Person
This is crucial. Talking to someone face to face really allows them to get to know you. No amount of phone calls or emails can replace this. Also, it’s a lot harder for them to ignore you when you’re right in front of them. Bring a hard copy of your resume, and just walk in. You can make a good impression just by smiling and being nice. This is how I got my internship. I walked into probably 20 places before I found the right one. That’s another tip, don’t be afraid to fail. Anyone who passes you up for a job or internship is missing out! Back to your resume. Talk to your parents or an adult for help and make it look professional. You want two or three things on the resume to stand out because it’s easy to predict what they will ask you about. Know what your strengths are and emphasize them on your resume. Your resume is your place to shine. Do a quick google search if you need a template or to get an idea of what your resume should look like. Personally, I divide it into sections something like this: Experience (so jobs, etc), Education(school, any programs like AP), Skills (i'm good with tech…), Interests (what you like! this section is to help them get to know you), Activities (volunteering…).
Tip 3- Be prepared
Be prepared for any questions. It’s super easy to Google search and find a list of common interview questions. Write them down, or type them, and just make a note of a couple bullet points that will help you answer the questions. Here’s some to get you started: Why do you want to work here? What value will you add to us? How have you dealt with an angry customer in the past? Remember, you're still young and you have room to mess up! It is totally normal to be nervous. Aside from the questions, know what you want. How long are you looking to work? How many hours are you looking for? Do you care about being paid for an internship? Personally, I started out as an unpaid intern, but after 2 months they offered me a job.
Let's review. Your actionable step is this: Get a job! If you are just that amazing and already have a job or have past experience, move to step 2: go in person to anywhere you think there is even the slightest possibility of getting an internship. Remember you can always change your mind and say no. Don't forget to prepare. Having one good answer to a tricky question can get you the job or internship you want. Thank you and good luck!
-Comment below which interview question you find hard.-
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