Photo courtesy of Seaver College
One of the biggest competitions that college students face is securing an internship. The race consists of resume writing and tailoring, cover letter coherence and cleverness, as well as the ability to show skills over experience.
Yeneba Smith, an industry specialist at Pepperdine Career Center who has over eight years of professional resume writing and 10 years of career coaching experience, gave the Graphic an inside look into the resume-vetting process and what students can do to make it to the finish line.
Where and When to Start
The process for applying to internships really depends on the industry for which one is applying to, Smith said. However, the student should give themselves about three-to-six months before the internship would begin in order to prepare for the application process.
“Students should take the time to research the company they are applying to work for, and understand who the company serves and what their goal is to bring to the industry that they are in,” Smith said.
But ultimately, Smith said the internship application process really begins with understanding what a students wants to do and what they want to learn.
Smith encourages individuals who may be unsure what industry or job type they are interested in pursuing to speak with someone at their school’s Career Center. As for Pepperdine students, the Seaver College Career Center staff consists of various industry specialists, like Smith, who can assist students according to their interests and/or major.
Smith noted the center uses the Career Exploration process as the model for guiding students to find the internship and/or job opportunity that will best fit and educate the individual. The process, which is detailed and found on the Career Center’s website, goes through four steps that are implemented to help a student explore what their options are and how to achieve them.
1. Engage in Self-Assessment – This step is a self-reflection that allows the student to assess their interests, strengths, the values they bring and what skills they would like to develop. This step also recommends taking a Career Assessment test to help refine the talents a student may have that are beneficial and successful for a specific career. These tests are especially helpful for the student whose major is undecided, as stated on the Career Services website.
2. Evaluate Majors and Careers – This step consists of analyzing the university’s academic programming catalog to learn more about the classes that are required for the student’s chosen major of interests. It also includes speaking with professors and students within that major and gaining further knowledge about what is expected in that particular industry. Lastly, this step also consists of understanding what career options result from the chosen major of interest.
3. Research Careers – This step involves going beyond the classroom and reaching out to industry professionals who obtain positions or can provide the student with further insight on what is required for that career and/or what is required to work at their company.
Reaching out is a great way for the student to start establishing a network within their field of choice. The Career Center also encourages the student to request a job shadow, which allows him or her to step into the shoes of that particular role and gain a first-hand knowledge of what that position’s day consists of.
4. Gain Experience – This step entails the student obtaining experience and skills to showcase on their resume. Whether that means getting involved in an on-campus organization that relates to the student’s industry of interest or obtaining a job off-campus, both provide the student with the ability to express how their skills and values were utilized in a formal setting.
The Career Center also provides a links events and programs such as PeppConnect, Handshake and HIRE Pepperdine for which members of the Pepperdine community can utilize for networking events, resume and cover letter workshops and job opportunities.
Smith said once a student knows what they are interested in, the process of applying is much easier as the student can now highlight certain qualities in their resume and cover letter that are transferable to that job description.
“Students should take the time to research the company they are applying to work for, and understand who the company serves and what their goal is to bring to the industry that they are in,” Smith said.
As for the difference between summer internships and internships that take place during the year, students should be aware that the quest to land a summer internship is much more difficult, Smith said. This is because a summer internship allows the student to devote more time to the company and their position, as opposed to during the year when the student has the additional responsibility of their schoolwork.
“I would say that employers have a more difficult time trying to find students during the year verses in the summer,” Smith said. “So there is definitely more competition during the summer to find those opportunities, but employers still look for students to fill each position.”
The Application Vetting Process
Due to society’s growing dedication to going digital, internship applications have made their way into the technological sphere and onto the screens of billions. But as the internet continues to open up an increasing number of internship opportunities for students, it has also enlarged the competition that surrounds these highly valued positions.
So how does one stay in the front of the pack of PDFs that one recruiter must progress through?
“When the resume is being submitted online, typically it will go through an applicant tracking system,” Smith said. “This is a scanner that looks for words that are in the job description. So if you have those words in the job description that are reflected in your resume, using the same tense and spelled the same way, then your application has a higher chance of being read at the beginning of the recruiter’s vetting process.”
Smith encourages students to always read over the job description and find words and phrases that are also mentioned in the student’s resume. If there are words in the job description that are relatable and transferable to the student’s experience, Smith said the student should rephrase and redefine the skill in order to match the description.
The applicant tracking system cannot tell the difference between past and present tense verbs, so it is important for the student’s resume to truly match what is said in the job description.
The key is to have skills from the job description worded and phrased exactly same in the student’s resume, Smith said. If there is a certain skill in the job description that is not in one’s resume, Smith said students should ask themselves if there was a situation where they were able to perform that same skill in a previous position, and then speak upon it on their resume and in their cover letter.
The Cover Letter
A resume shows the recruiter why the student is qualified for the position, but the cover letter allows the student to say why they are the best candidate for it.
“It is not about just being responsible for a certain job or possessing a certain skill that is required of that job,” Smith said. “Rather, the focus of one’s cover letter should be how they were able to successfully perform this skill and/or trait.”
Smith said all cover letters should be no longer than a page, however a student should not have only one letter because each application must be tailored to the skills that are mentioned in the job description. For example, not all social media internships demand all the same skills.
Although many of the skills required are similar, they may not necessarily be the same across the board for all prospective positions. This is another reason, Smith said, that students must research and review the job the description thoroughly before sending in their application.
“A recruiter is moved when they see a connection between a person’s resume and cover letter that is reflected in their company’s mission,” Smith said. “That helps make the robotic connection more human.”
Smith said a student’s resume should not be a list of what the previous experience required of them. Instead, the letter should explain a situation or problem that the company had or encountered, and how the student was able to help facilitate a solution.
“The word or skill itself does not say very much,” Smith said. “But a student who is able to prove how he or she demonstrates that skill is what makes them stand out.”
Smith advises students to create a template cover letter by the following:
1. The Introduction: “The first paragraph is the introduction,” Smith said. “This paragraph explains what kind of position you [the student] are looking for, the name of the role, the company, where you found the position opening, and then briefly, why you feel that you are the best person for it. So, basically, here you are introducing what you are going to explain later in the letter.”
2. The Body: “The second paragraph, and sometimes even part of the third, is the body,” Smith said. “The body of the cover letter basically talks about your experience. You are demonstrating where you have performed in the skills that you introduced in the first paragraph. You can mention where you worked, what was your role, and how you demonstrated that particular skill, but what is really important is that you are selling the skill. You want to talk about the value you brought to the company, not just what you were remotely responsible for.”
3. Conclusion: “The last paragraph is just summarizing,” Smith said. “Here, you would just say, ‘Based on my academic experience and professional and/or related experience, you [the student] feel that you are the best candidate for this position.’ You can also ask for an opportunity to meet with them face-to-face for an interview, and if they have any further questions, they are more than welcome to reach out to you.”
Smith added each paragraph should be between five to seven sentences long. Although this may not seem difficult to achieve in the body paragraph – where the student is supposed to explain not only their accomplishments, but also the “value” they brought – Smith said the student should focus on three experiences, along with the skill they demonstrated in this experience, that is relatable to the position and company they are applying to.
“You [the student] can use the first sentence to introduce where you worked, your role, and the skill that you demonstrated,” Smith said. “The second sentence can talk about how your performance made an impact on the team.”
Lastly, Smith said the student should keep the same energy in their resume and cover letter. Then, if the student gets an interview, the tone of their writing should be the same as the energy they bring to the interview. Smith also added that the tone of the letter should also match the tone of the industry the student is applying to.
“There is a fine line between being professional and letting your personality show through your writing,” Smith said. “You really want to think about what industry you are applying to.”
A Combination of Skills and Experience
Previously working or interning for a high profile company, like Disney or Apple, is an attractive quality to recruiters, Smith said. However, if a student cannot elaborate on the value they brought to the position or a skill they learned on the job, Smith said it may not be the best part of the student’s resume to emphasize in their application.
“If you have nothing to talk about from working at a big name company, then you will not have much to say about the value you brought to the position in your interview and cover letter,” Smith said. “You have to be able to position yourself to showcase your strengths, what you’ve learned from your experience, and your interest for that particular role.”
The Laws of Internships
Internships are required by law to provide an “educational environment” and a “beneficial learning experience” for the student, with no requirement of compensation or expectation to have the responsibilities of a full time employee, according to the United States Department of Labor’s Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act.
“An internship is an experimental learning opportunity,” Smith said. “So you are not expected to come in as an expert and know how to do everything. You come in and learn how to do new things.”
Despite the Department of Labor’s standards, high profile companies have been sued in recent years for not adhering to these laws.
In June 2012, two former Conde Nast interns, Matthew Leib and Lauren Ballinger, sued the multi-billion dollar media company, and highly desired internship destination for students across the world, claiming that they performed the same kinds jobs of the employees and received no formal training for their already unpaid position, according to The New York Post report.
Another former intern Lisa Denmark told The Post that her internship at Vogue, one of the magazines owned by Conde Nast, was “one of the worst internships I’ve ever had.” Her duties ranged from doing personal errands for the editors and to going all the way to the Lower East Side of New York City to pick up one of her boss’ juices.
“I cried myself to sleep at least three nights a week,” Denmark said.
Due to the lawsuit, Conde Nast decided to shut down their internship program. This decision has ultimately tarnished the dreams of many who wished to make their “Devil Wears Prada” fantasy a reality.
“It feels like the people who sued kind of ruined it for everyone else because, I mean, if you don’t like your internship, you can cancel it,” former Lucky magazine intern Jenny Achiam said to The Post. “You can say, ‘I’m sorry, I quit.’ Not, ‘Well, I’ll stick it out and sue you … It’s a shame that the resource won’t be available to other students in the future.”
Paid vs. Unpaid
Although the Department of Fair Labor requires that an internship be an educational experience, this does not change the fact that some internships do offer compensation in addition to the “educational environment” and “beneficial learning experience” that is required by law.
The Career Center often looks for paid internships for students. However, because paid internship position are scarce and highly competitive, the student could also consider doing an internship that is able to provide academic credit. Some majors require the student to complete an internship for credit prior to graduation, which is why Smith said this option should certainly not be rejected.
But despite the dollar bill dilemma, the most important outcome of the student’s internship is what they learned, Smith said.
“An internship is an experimental learning opportunity,” Smith said. “So you are not expected to come in as an expert and know how to do everything. You should come in and be providing some kind of service, but it should be a learning experience for you.”
Another high profile lawsuit involved two unpaid FOX Searchlight interns who sued the company after having worked on the $300 million blockbuster film Black Swan, and “claiming they should have been paid for tasks essential to the production process,” according to Time Magazine.
The former FOX Searchlight interns won their case, and sparked a movement among other unpaid interns to do the same. But the 2011 decision was overruled in 2015, when “the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York declared that ‘the proper question is whether the intern or the employer is the primary beneficiary of the relationship.’ If it’s the intern, then the internship can be unpaid,” according to Time Magazine.
Social Media
Social media has become a dominant force in society, and as a result, has integrated itself into the hiring, firing and applying process.
“Part of what companies do when they [search] for you on social media is to see how you conduct yourself,” said Marcie Kirk Holland, a project manager at the UC Davis Internship & Career Center, in an article published in The California Aggie. “They want to know how you’ll interact with your co-workers and more importantly their customers or potential customers.”
The California Aggie article also spoke with Matt Tarpey, a career advisor at CareerBuilder, who wrote in an email that “social media is a great place to show off your positive qualities and your fun personality. However, he warned Aggies from oversharing as it can come back to haunt you.”
Social media is not a bad thing to have, especially in various communications-based industries where being “social media savvy” is a requirement or a skill demanded for that particular role, Smith said. However, all students should be aware that is does have the power to affect the hiring process.
“Make sure your profile is clean and does not contain anything that would taint your image,” Smith said. “You want to present yourself as a professional wherever you can be found online.”
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Follow Maddie Nichols on Twitter @NicholsMaddie
