When my friend told me that his adviser said to him “if you apply to 40 summer internships, you would be lucky to get two or three interviews,” I didn’t believe it was true.
Then I began the process and was faced with the truth. Rejection after rejection is extremely tough, but just as tough as these rejections is never hearing back from an employer—which happens quite frequently—especially when you spend an hour on each application, pouring your hard work and time into it.
But even though it is difficult, there are a couple of things I have told myself to remember which may help my fellow internship-seekers get through the process.
First of all, always remember that there are a lot more people searching for internships than there are internships themselves. There are simply going to be some people who don’t get their first-choice internship. It doesn’t mean that other people are better than you; it is purely a numbers game of supply and demand. Most of the time, it just comes down to things you can’t control, like which pile your application is placed in, where you live or your connections.
The law of large numbers helps. Of that long list of companies that you are interested in, you should apply to as many of them as you can so you have a higher chance of getting an internship. I know not everyone will agree with me on this—they will argue that quality is preferred over quantity. But honestly, if you’re searching for your first career stepping stone, you probably need to go with “scorched earth.”
Although it is hard to watch your friends get great high-powered internships while you get multiple rejection letters, it is important to remember that we all have time. No matter what year we are in, we are college students at UW-Madison and we are here for the purpose of getting educated and to get a job upon graduation. Of course, internships are great stepping stones to landing your dream job, but if it does not work out, do not let it bring you all the way down and don’t let it interfere with other aspects of your life. GPA and extracurricular activities are also a huge part of the decision-making process for employers. They take notice of that as well.
If you don’t get an email or call back right after you apply, do not feel disheartened. Wait a little bit. Once you apply to the company, they have your resume on hand so that they can contact you in the future if positions open up or if another candidate falls through. Plus, if you are invested in the company for the long haul, you will increase your chances of getting in contact with them. Interest goes a long way, especially if you act on it and try to connect with people who work for the company.
Lastly, there are a lot of opportunities to get experience during the school year, not just over the summer.
Remember that employers want to know that you will show up for work, that you can interact with all kinds of people and that you can use raw knowledge to solve problems.
Your part-time work experience doesn’t have to be exactly synonymous with your major. But, if you are interested in biology or any other lab sciences, you can try to get a lab or research position with a professor in between or after class. If you are interested in business or law, there are a lot of on-campus leadership conferences and job opportunities, as well as being close to the state Capitol, which could lead to many great opportunities. And if you are looking for a chance to get money during the school year, there are plenty of ways to do that.
Even though it can seem like the search for an internship is the end-all-be-all of your future career, this is simply not the case. While internships are a great way of gaining experience and connections, they are not the only way to make yourself attractive to future employers.
If you exhibit a sense of drive, dedication and positivity, then you will be rewarded. Employers would rather have a dedicated employee with less internship experience than someone who has an overly-padded resume, but no passion for the job.
So when you get your next rejection letter, or don’t hear back from a company you worked for hours to complete their application, don’t let it get to you.
It is important to balance your experience and schoolwork. Stay positive.
Adam is a sophomore studying applied mathematics and is currently waiting to hear back on his summer internship status. What are your thoughts on the internship search? Have you benefitted from internships, or do you believe more in experience from other forms? Please send all questions, comments and concerns to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
