10 things I wish I knew before searching for an internship.

I have been reflecting on the internship search journey I had this year.

After I graduated from college with a degree in industrial engineering, I landed the first job I had applied for — it was in the financial services industry. My internship search experience, however, was very different. No stranger to pivots, this time, I attempted a pivot to a Product Manager role in the tech industry. There were some things I expected but there were other things I was totally blindsided by. I wrote this article from my perspective and hope it helps to provide some perspective for anyone who might be going through a similar situation.

Photo by Daniel Fazio on Unsplash

These are the 10 things I wish I knew:

1. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Create a plan and start well in advance of your desired start date. There will be things you can’t predict, (e.g., a global pandemic) but starting early enough will give you wiggle room to navigate such unforeseen events. It’ll also make you less panicked.
2. Be organized. Keep a spreadsheet of your applications, contacts in your companies of interest, referrals, etc. Having a detailed list will act as a source of truth to help you track your journey. It’ll also be helpful to consider who helped you on your journey so you can thank them. (Gratitude is a must!)
3. “Success is opportunity meets preparation” — Zig Ziglar. This couldn’t be truer. You can’t fake preparedness. Being well prepared for that interview will boost your confidence. Don’t fail to turn an opportunity into an actual job offer because you failed to prepare adequately. What are you doing with all that “free time”? You don’t have any interview yet? Good, prepare.
4. There are so many other factors that go into selecting a candidate other than the candidate’s experiences/abilities. Not everyone who finds you amazing will be able to offer you a job. Hate to be cliche but it’s not you, it’s them. If you do #3 and are well prepared, there will be less self-doubt. If you’re not given the offer, don’t forget to request for feedback on how you could have improved.
5. There will be days when your goal will be survival. To get out of bed and just survive the day, and that’s okay too. There will be days when you will want to quit the whole processes entirely. Searching for a job opportunity in an industry you are passionate about will be helpful in motivating you to not give up but truth be told, some days are just tougher than others. Rest and recuperate.
6. Be kind to yourself — you are doing well. Searching for a job is not the easiest task, especially if you’ve been doing it for a while. I am not a psychologist but I doubt that human beings were made to handle so many rejections. It’s tough, and you have come so far. Be compassionate with yourself — you are doing great!
7. Sending that first networking message to a stranger will always, eternally be awkward. Get over that awkwardness and send it anyway. Most people will not respond, that’s okay. But some will and that would make it worth it. The opportunity you get might be from a connection you make. The information you have is always limited to (the utilization of) the information within your current network.
8. The job is never the end goal — personal growth is. You will take everything you have learnt on the journey to that job; the perseverance, resilience, relentlessness, your expanded network. No one can take that from you. The stretching might be uncomfortable but it shows that you are growing. Also, you just might write a Medium article from all that you gained.
9. Don’t lose hope. It takes just one “yes” to make all the rejections fade into insignificance. YOU did it! Now, revel in it! Make sure you bring your all to your new team, learn, have fun and keep networking. Remember, the job is never the end goal, your personal development is. So make sure you are gaining all the necessary skills that will give you the competitive edge you need.
10. Now that you’ve finally gotten that job, don’t forget to pay it forward. Pave the way for someone else (multiple people if you can.) You’ve walked the same path so be empathetic. The world is a little better when we use whatever we have to help make room for others.