Above a certain level, students have great difficulty finding an internship. However, the search is not easy for other profiles. However, companies do not consider all candidates as potential employees. So, recruiters are not always very demanding. That said, policies in this area vary significantly depending on the structures and employers.
Have you used all the means at your disposal to find an internship?
The school attended represents the first avenue to explore, when the student internship is obligatory. In fact, higher education establishments generally provide programs and partnerships to facilitate this part of the training. Students then have many opportunities at their fingertips. In this case, it is inconceivable to answer “ I can’t find an internship » at the tuition service.
At university, students can find out about internships from the SUIO (university information and orientation service). This mission is fulfilled by the BAIP (professional integration support office) depending on the institution. In some structures, you even have a service dedicated to internships. These different contacts are supposed to help you find recruiters or even apply for an internship by email.
As with job searching, you should not underestimate the effectiveness of social networks, in the broad sense of the term. This is technically all your relationships online and offline. In other words, you need to inform all your contacts of your approach. You will then be able to improve your chances of obtaining favorable responses or finding interesting leads.
Finally, do not hesitate to use specialized platforms in the search for an internship or student life. Student sites do not necessarily offer internship offers. That said, they can make it easier to put you in touch with people willing to offer you an internship. Dedicated platforms allow you to quickly find the offers best suited to your profile.
Have you done any business follow-ups?
Perseverance is a sought-after quality in many sectors. Therefore, one should not simply say “ I can’t find an internship » if there is no response. Some employers actually measure the motivation of applicants by the efforts made to join the company. Therefore, it is important to send a mail of revival to each entity delaying in reacting to the request. You can possibly call afterwards.
Reminders are generally made within 3 to 4 days following submission of the application. However, you must avoid haste and redundancy. In other words, you must follow your file without harassing recruiters. It may seem difficult to assess the appropriate length of time between each contact. That said, the 3 to 4 day rule is commonly accepted for business reminders.
You can follow up with a company by email or telephone after the indicated period of time. However, you must wait a little before switching to another communication channel. Concretely, the call must be made no earlier than 3 days after having made the follow-up by email. You also have the option of following up directly by telephone. In addition, this option allows you to immediately analyze the reaction of your interlocutor to your approach.
Ask yourself the right questions about how to apply
After several refusals, it is imperative to review your way of applying. It’s not always about the wording, but sometimes it’s about the content. The problem could also be with your presentation, your approach or your interviewer.
Thanks to this reflection, you will be able to put all the chances on your side on future applications. You must also proceed methodically to take full advantage of the tools and resources at your disposal. At this stage, it is particularly necessary to reconsider:
- The resources available within your school (dedicated services, teachers, speakers at conferences, participants in workshops, etc.);
- Soliciting the establishment’s network (former students, professional sponsorship, campus associations, etc.);
- Use of social networks (profile, groups joined, information provided, contacts requested, etc.);
- Targeting the companies contacted (sector, area of activity, customers, etc.);
- The platforms used (specialized sites, LinkedIn, online directories, etc.);
- The approach chosen for company managers and SMEs (email, telephone, door-to-door, etc.);
- The prospecting method at the public administration level;
- Your regular presence in forums and job fairs.
In practice, you risk complicating the search by limiting yourself to a particular area or area. However, you must choose your contacts wisely, if you are considering an internship leading to a job. Additionally, your credibility may be called into question by a request in an area unrelated to your training. It is nevertheless possible to present this atypical experience as a necessary step in your course.
