The following guest post was written by CSF Alumnus Mary Zhuo Ke. A sophomore at University of Pennsylvania, Mary will travel to Iceland to complete a sustainability internship through the Green Program at Reykjavik University this summer. We asked her to share her advice to younger students on applying for and successfully getting internships.
Tips on Finding a Summer Internship
by CSF Alumna Mary Zhuo Ke, University of Pennsylvania ‘19
It’s that time of year again when summer internship/program applications open for admission. You might be asking, how should I approach the process? How can I present myself in the best way? Here are some tips that might be helpful:
- Network: A strong network is one of the best resources you can use to land any summer internship. Sign up for meetups in your local area to get to know people with similar interests. This allows you to reach out to people who may have had more experience working in different industries, practice your ability to communicate professionally with others upon first encounters, (such as an interview), and express yourself effectively to individuals of varying backgrounds and opinions.
- Always triple-check your resume: Make sure to include specifics on what you did for each job or internship on your resume. Include GPA, courses, honors, and a LinkedIn reference. Consider not listing experiences that are not relevant to the position that you are applying for. This may require creating different resumes catered to each particular company’s interests/job opening. Absolutely avoid any grammatical or spelling errors!
- Cover letter: A cover letter may or may not be read, but having one allows you to emphasize how you can contribute as an intern or employee in a more personal and detailed manner. You can talk about what attracts you to the program/internships. What about the company stands out to you? Is it its mission? Its work atmosphere? Show that you have researched the company and would be a great fit there. I would also point out how you would work hard to learn and enrich your experience there as much as possible.
- Apply to many programs: Getting a summer internship is a competitive process and so apply to many, but do not do so at the expense of the quality of your applications. Quality over quantity is the best way to go in my opinion.
- Social media: Avoid posting anything on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. that may jeopardize your chances of acceptance. Although some companies might not research you online, it is still better to make sure that you do not have anything inappropriate on the web, such as complaints about your work experiences in the past or anything with foul or risqué language.
- Essays: Applications frequently come with an essay portion. Make sure to emphasize how the program would benefit from your expertise and personality. Ask what about your character would allow you to fit into the company’s team and add to its growth and community? Be specific and also mention how the company can help you grow to contribute in a meaningful way to society to the best of your ability in the future.
- Don’t just apply to the large well-known, well-established companies/organizations! Startups can sometimes provide a more meaningful experience to interns. Being part of a smaller organization may allow you to have stronger relationships with your coworkers as well as more significant/varied roles in the company’s development.
Bio: Mary Zhuo Ke, a sophomore majoring in Bioengineering and minoring in Sustainability and Environmental Management, is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.) degree at University of Pennsylvania. As a bioengineering student, Mary gains inspiration from the natural world in analysis and design. Her projects have included using statistical models and programming packages for Alzheimer’s patient data analysis, green roof/street evaluations and blueprinting, natural disaster remediation designs that include Hurricane Sandy, as well as robotics soccer competitions. As a proud CSF alum, she serves her community as the current Project Manager of Engineers Without Borders, which, through sustainable product design, creation, and implementation, aims to solve environmental and education problems around the world. Her strong motivation to help others drives her to become a leader of change.