How to Organize Your Internship Applications

Explore this Article

methods

1Creating a Spreadsheet

2Gathering Application Materials

3Setting Calendar Reminders

Other Sections

Expert Q&A

Related Articles

References

If you're a college student or recent graduate, an internship can help you get started in your career. For example, if you're a computer science major who wants to work in social media, you may crave an internship with Facebook or Twitter. The best internships are highly competitive, so start early. A detailed spreadsheet and filing system not only help you organize your internship applications, but also leave potential employers with a good impression of your skills and work ethic.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creating a Spreadsheet

1. 
   1
   List companies where you want to intern. Start your internship search with a wish list of companies where you'd really like to work. Think about why you're attracted to those companies, so you can find similar companies where you might be a good fit.

   • Browse internship boards frequently so you can see when new jobs are posted. Some boards allow you to subscribe so you can get notifications when an internship is listed that matches your search criteria.
   • For example, if you want a career as a book editor, you may be looking for an internship at a major publishing house. Check with career services and your school's English department, as well as professional associations in the publishing industry.
2. 
   2
   Find information about internship opportunities. If you're a college student, your school's career services office likely has tools that can help you with your internship search. You'll also find internship opportunities listed on the internet.

   • Professional associations often list internship opportunities in that particular field. Ask a professor or someone in career services if you're not familiar with the major professional associations in your field.
   • When you find good sites for internships, bookmark them so that you can easily check them on a regular basis. You may want to create a folder for internship bookmarks, so they're all in one place and easier to find.
3. 
   3
   Prioritize your applications. Open a new spreadsheet, and list the companies where you want to intern as the first column on your spreadsheet. You may want to list them in order from the one you want the most to the one you want the least.

   • Which companies you prefer will depend on your own personal preferences. For example, suppose you want an internship in social media, but you want to stay on the east coast. You might prioritize Tumblr, based in New York City, over social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that are based in California.
   • If you're not familiar with spreadsheets or have never created a new one before, now is a good time to start. Since you're just making this spreadsheet for yourself and don't have to turn it in to anyone, you can play around with it to make it work for you.
4. 
   4
   Add columns for relevant information. After the first column with company names, add other columns to organize information related to your internship search. Typically you'll want columns for deadline dates, documents needed, and contacts at the company.

   • Other columns that might be helpful include whether the internship is paid or unpaid and whether you can get college credit.
   • Include a column for information only if that information will be useful to you during the application process. Otherwise you're just creating busywork for yourself filling in a spreadsheet.
5. 
   5
   Update your spreadsheet frequently. Your spreadsheet is only as good as the information it contains. If it isn't up-to-date, you could end up missing a deadline. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes a day when you can go over your spreadsheet and update it as necessary.

   • As you get further into the application process, you may want to change the organization of your spreadsheet. For example, a column you thought would be important when you started turned out to be useless. Deleting that column makes your spreadsheet leaner and more efficient.

   Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Gathering Application Materials

1. 
   1
   Draft your resumé. Even though a potential employer may only glance at your resumé for a few seconds, it is an important document. Think of your resumé as an advertisement of your knowledge and skills.

   • While you should have a general resumé, you also want to adapt it to closely target particular companies. For example, when listing previous work experience, focus on job duties that are relevant to what you would be doing at that company. Staff in your school's career services office may be able to help you with this.
2. 
   2
   Ask teachers for recommendation letters. Some internships may request a recommendation from a faculty member, particularly if you will be getting college credit. Approach teachers for recommendations as soon as possible – if you wait until the last minute, they may be too busy to get the letter completed in time.

   • Gather all the information you think the teacher might need to write your recommendation, including your resumé and personal statement, as well as any information you have about the internship itself. Some teachers may give you a list of the specific information they need.
3. 
   3
   Line up references. You also want to approach possible references early, as you may need personal, academic, or work references depending on the internship. You should have at least three people in each of those categories who are willing to be references for you.

   • List your references along with complete contact information for each. Some companies will prefer to contact your references by phone, others by email. Although companies seldom contact references in writing through the mail, they may want you to provide a mailing address anyway.
   • You may want to add a column to your spreadsheet for references. List the type of reference needed or the names you personally provided for each internship.
4. 
   4
   Draft your personal statement. Many internships require you to write an essay or personal statement that describes your interest in the field and what you hope to gain from the internship.

   • The main part of your personal statement will be the same for every internship. Having a general draft will save you some time. You won't have to worry about reinventing the wheel every time you complete a new application package.
   • Keep a digital copy of your general personal statement, and save a new copy when you adapt it to send it to a particular internship. Organize these copies by putting the name of the company in front of your general document title. For example, you might save your general personal statement as "internship personal statement" and then replace the word "internship" with the name of the company when you create a new version.
5. 
   5
   Create a folder for each application. Once you start submitting materials to companies for internships, you need to keep copies of all communication. You may need a digital folder on the computer, a paper file, or both.

   • If you mail in paper applications, make a copy of everything you sent before you sent it and keep it in a file folder.
   • In your digital folder, include all emails and notices you receive regarding the internship and your application. Label the folder with the name of the company so you can find all documents related to that internship application easily.
   Advertisement

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Setting Calendar Reminders

1. 
   1
   Choose a regular time each day. The internship search process can take a lot of time and effort. If you work at it for just a few minutes each day, you'll stay on top of deadlines and the process will be a lot less stressful.

   • Look at your usual daily schedule and figure out when you can carve out 10 to 15 minutes to work on your internship applications. Each day, spend that time completing applications, contacting internship supervisors, and updating your spreadsheet.
2. 
   2
   Record all application deadlines. You probably have a calendar app on your computer or smart phone. If you don't, search online for a free calendar app that you can use to keep track of your internship application deadlines.

   • Enter the application deadline for any internship that strikes your interest. You can always remove the deadline later if you decide not to apply with a particular company.
   • Include information with the application deadline about how the application must be submitted. For example, suppose you have to mail in a paper application. If the application needs to be received by the deadline date, your deadline needs to be a week or two before the actual deadline date so you can ensure your application gets there in time.
3. 
   3
   Break the application process into parts. Some internships may require multiple documents as part of the application package. Setting yourself smaller deadlines for each part of the package can help the process run more smoothly.

   • Use your internship folders to organize your documents and track your progress. Keep a copy of each document you need to send in the folder.
   • For example, suppose you have three internship applications that each require a resumé, personal statement, and list of references. You can set multiple deadlines for completing each part of those packages. When the final deadline arrives, you'll have everything ready to go.
4. 
   4
   Batch applications. If you plan on applying to dozens of internships, all those individual deadlines can be difficult to keep track of. Instead, pick three or four internships with similar application deadlines and do them at the same time.

   • Make the earliest of the deadlines as the deadline for the group. Pay attention to any other deadlines that might be different. For example, if one company has a date by which you'll be notified if you're called for an interview, that date may not be the same for all the internships you've batched together in a group.
5. 
   5
   Schedule mock interviews. At least a week before your first interview is scheduled, you should have at least one or two mock interviews to practice. Although you don't want your interview answers to be entirely scripted, being prepared with an answer shows that you're organized and gives the interviewer a good impression.

   • Career services offices at colleges and universities frequently have mock interview programs that can help you prepare for your internship interviews. If this resource isn't available to you, have a friend or family interview you so you can practice.
   • Ask for feedback on your performance, and work on improving the problems mentioned.
6. 
   6
   Include alerts for follow-ups. You can't just apply for internships and then sit back and wait for one to land in your lap. Following up with the company at various stages of the process shows that you're self-motivated and driven.

   • Unless the company has listed a specific date by which they'll let you know about your internship application, set yourself a reminder to follow up two weeks after you submit your application and confirm that it was received.
   • If you have any interviews, set a reminder to follow up with your contact a week after the interview. You also want to send a thank you note to your interviewer as soon as possible after the day of the interview.
   Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

• Question

  How do I increase my chances of getting an internship?

  

  Lucy Yeh
  Career & Life Coach

  Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

  

  Lucy Yeh

  Career & Life Coach

  Expert Answer

  Companies want people that are passionate about the company, so send an inquiry email about how much you'd be honored to intern with them.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn

  YesNo

  Not Helpful 0Helpful 0

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement