About the author: Hello, my name is Carolyn Clements. I am a junior in the IB program. I will be giving my two cents on how to get an internship in high school. Some background about myself before I get into some tips: I have interned on two political campaigns and am currently applying for my third paid position.
My Story: You may be wondering, how did I even get the internships? The first internship came due to my position as the president of a political club called Girl Up. My supervisor got an email asking if there was any one interested in interning on a campaign for a congressional candidate. I immediately jumped at the opportunity.
My second internship also came with someone reaching out to me. Someone on my first campaign asked if I had interest in interning for her on the Georgia Senate Runoffs. I immediately applied.
Now, I am in the process of applying for a paid internship on the campaign for the secretary of state. This internship was again secured by people researching me.
Moral of the story is that all my internships came from networking. This is a really essential skill that will be really beneficial when looking for and securing internships. But to secure an internship, you should know your interests. That brings me to my first tip.
Tip #1: Engage in Your Passions
I found my internship by engaging in what I love. When you become more active in the field you want to go into, you will meet people who will help you secure internships. I believe that if you engage in your areas of interest, you will find the internships. Finding internships is the hardest part.
Tip #2: Networking
You need to talk to people and ensure they remember you. People are looking for people who can help them. If they see a passionate high school student, who they don’t have to pay to do grunt work, they will want you. Do a good job and work hard. It is the best way to get people to notice and recognize you.
Tip #3: Get a Linked In
If tip 1 and 2 fail you, many of the people I worked with were discovered on linked in. I am not very familiar with this program, but I have been told repeatedly that it is the best way to get internships and meet people willing to hire you.
Tip #4 Always have a Resume Ready
These types of programs move very quickly. It is essential that you have at least a drafted resume. This means that when you only have a week to apply, you can edit your resume and get everything else lined up quickly. Also, make sure that you have people that can write you references.
In closing: Getting an internship is not as daunting as it seems. Interning is really just doing the stuff that other people do not want to do. But, through the experience you learn so much about the field you are passionate about. Internships are all about knowing the right people and working your way up the ladder. Have patience. I wish you the best of luck!
-Comment below where you want to intern. If you have an internship, what are some tips you have?-
Join the Wix app for updates on the blog!
Comments