Students need to look more like intern candidates, and internships have become a hot commodity in recent years.
Internships can be as simple as filling out a short questionnaire and uploading a portfolio.
But in order to get a piece of your resume reviewed, you’ll need to spend time with the candidate.
“You’re not just talking to them about the job they’re going to do, you’re talking to the interviewer and the hiring manager about their interests and skills and what their interests are and what they want out of the job,” said Elizabeth C. Gelles, who taught at the University of Southern California’s graduate school of design from 2008 to 2014.
She added, “They’ll see your portfolio and they’ll like you and say, ‘Wow, I love this, I’m going to hire you.’
That’s really exciting.”
It’s important to get an internship experience to see the candidates and employers, not just as an employer but also as an intern.
“A lot of people think, ‘I’m a designer,’ and I’m not,” Gellis said.
“But when you get an opportunity to work with a really talented person, then you see that they’re a designer and you get to work on their projects and you build something together.”
She also noted that when it comes to applying for a job, you should never use the intern title.
“Do not use the term intern as a job title,” she said.
Instead, make sure to use your own experience, work experience, and references to show that you have what it takes to work at a particular company.
To get started, check out these tips to get started interviewing with interns.