Guide to Graduate Internships

There are numerous benefits of internships for college students, such as gaining real-world work experience and growing your professional network. Graduate internships are particularly important because they may be required by your college or university. They can also be a way to open doors to new roles and lines of business within your industry.

In addition to the credit you may earn from an internship, you’ll also:

Build a network

Interning at a new company can be a great chance to work alongside influential people in your field whom you might not have met otherwise. You can make connections along the way, even before you secure an internship, and create a network of people who could open doors down the road or become great mentors.

Learn an industry

This is a great way to learn firsthand about your own industry or an industry adjacent to yours. Plus, having experience to supplement your learning will make the concepts richer and refine your career skills.

Find your next role

This could be your entry point for a career at your desired company. Some graduate schools have long-standing relationships with particular employers, and those connections can help you get your foot in the door as you advance in your career.

To set yourself apart from other candidates, identify and clearly articulate your unique experiences, expertise, and attributes. Communicate what you offer. Then, connect those qualities to the information you’ve gleaned from your contacts along with the internship’s written description.

Make a strong first impression with your cover letter

1.  Address your cover letter using the name of the person who’ll read it, when possible. Otherwise, you might want to address it to the selection committee.
2.  Make sure your cover letter is clean and tastefully formatted. Use a legible, professional font, standard margins, regular paragraph breaks, and single spacing.
3.  Clearly state the opportunity you’re applying to.
4.  In your own writing, attempt to mirror the language used in the position description. Your letter could be scanned for keywords. Use natural phrasing to incorporate important terms related to the position and your experience.
5.  Write about your current position, the graduate program you’re enrolled in, and how this internship connects to your talents and objectives.
6.  Share relevant details from your resume that might be overlooked, including specific projects that have a direct connection to this opportunity.
7.  Vary the language and customize details in each letter to relate to the specific opportunity.
8.  Let your personality shine through in a professional way. The reader should be able to tell that you’re enthusiastic about the internship.
9.  Keep your contact information up to date, and make it easy for the reader to locate your name, email address, and phone number.
10. Limit yourself to one page. Readers will appreciate your focused writing.

As you work on preparing your internship application materials, find out what resources are available through your school’s career services center. You may be able to sign up to have your resume and cover letter reviewed by impartial, trained professionals who can give constructive feedback.

Prepare for the interview

Some career services departments will offer mock interviews to help you prepare for your internship interview. Virtual sessions may be available for online students.

If you don’t have access to this kind of support, you can ask friends or relatives to conduct a mock interview with you. Also, practicing in front of a mirror will help improve your delivery. Know what you want to convey but answer these questions in an unscripted manner.

A key internship interview tip is to take some time to research the people who’ll interview you. For example, if they’re publicly visible in your field, you should have a sense of their personality, values, and business priorities. You can also search for your interviewer on LinkedIn to get a broad sense of their career arc and understand how they describe their relationship to the company. Additionally, be sure to take a moment to relax before going into your interview. Remember to think of this as a conversation. Doing this will help you feel prepared, confident, and comfortable.

What to expect during an interview

There are several things that you can expect during the interview process; however, the format may vary based on the company you’re interviewing with. Common questions include questions about your background; why you’ve applied for the internship; and behavioral assessment questions, such as “Tell me about a time when something didn’t go as planned, and the steps you took to solve that problem.”

Questions about your background:

●  “Tell me about yourself.”: This is your opportunity to give a brief rundown of your work and educational history. Don’t worry about covering every detail. Frame things in a way that’ll allow your interviewer to see what you bring to the table while making it obvious how this internship fits into your plans.
●  “What do you like to do outside of work and school?”: There’s no “right” way to answer this question. As long as your response is appropriate for work, you’re all set. It’s basically an opportunity for the interviewer to get to know a little bit more about you as a person. You can talk briefly about your volunteer work, personal life, or hobbies. Be honest, too. They might ask you a follow-up question, especially if they can relate to what you share.

Invitations to talk about the internship and the company:

●  “How have your past experiences prepared you for this role?”: Explain in greater detail similar projects from your past and the experience you gained along the way.
●  “What do you think will be challenging about this role?”: This one can seem scary at first. After all, you want to paint yourself in a positive light. Embrace this question, though. Focus on what you want to learn in this role and the skills you want to acquire. Don’t forget: This internship can help you grow.
●  “What are you most looking forward to about this position and this company?”: Maybe you’re an avid fan of the company’s products or you find the company’s innovative business strategies exciting. Point to the specifics here as much as possible.
●  “What do you hope to gain from this opportunity?”: You can stay humble responding to this question while unambiguously stating what you want. If you’re hoping this leads to a career at the company, tell your interviewer. Companies want to learn how your goals align with theirs.

Behavioral assessments:

●  “Tell me about a time when things didn’t go according to plan for you.”: Focus on a moment in your career when you faced a challenge. Instead of placing blame anywhere, just identify the problem; share how things went astray; and most important, emphasize how you changed course to solve the problem. Companies know that things go wrong sometimes. They want to know you’re capable of pivoting to accomplish the task at hand.
●  “How would your manager describe you?”: Ideally, you can answer this question by citing some examples from a recent performance review or a departmental accolade you’ve earned. Another way to respond is by highlighting qualities your manager regularly praises you for or situations in which your peers look to you for help.
●  “What do you think are three areas in which you excel? What are three things you struggle with?”: If you can, try to connect your positive attributes to the internship opportunity. Back them up with short examples or point to accomplishments you’ve already discussed in the interview. When you describe areas for improvement, share short statements about how you’re working on overcoming any struggles.
●  “How do you manage your time?”: This is another common question that often doesn’t have a “right” answer as long as you can demonstrate you have an organizational system in place that works for you. Share the strategies you use to manage your tasks, meet deadlines, and establish priorities.

Interviewers may also ask you some technical questions related to your experience in the industry or have you complete an on-site assessment to demonstrate your proficiency with specific technical skills.