Applying to Internships - Continued

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Be Certain Your Information is Accurate and Up-to-Date:

Nothing can hurt an otherwise strong cover letter more than misspelling the recruiter's name or addressing it to someone who left the company five years ago. If the information you have is from a "bible" published several years ago, look up the firm online, or call the recruiting office, if appropriate. Details Matter.

Resume:

Choose a resume format and content that complement your choice of internship. For example, if you are applying for an internship with a think-tank, your academic work should have more visual emphasis and textural detail than your experience volunteering with the homeless. On the other hand, if you are applying for an internship with the National Alliance to End Homelessness, your volunteer experience should have more prominence. Again, tailor your resume so that the person reading it leaves your resume convinced that your experiences have clearly led you for the particular internship being offered. In addition, edit your resume carefully. Sloppy resumes and those with grammatical errors are rarely taken seriously.

Stay Organized:

Too many applicants send out an armload of internship applications but don't keep track of what they mailed or what they promised recruiters at each organization they would do (follow through with a phone call, request an interview, etc., ). Set aside time each week, say Tuesday afternoon, where you flip through the materials you mailed, make phone calls, or otherwise refresh your memory of what you expected to have happened at that particular point in the process. While formal, competitive programs often have a "don't call us-we'll call you" approach, internships at local business or those in the public sector often appreciate an appropriately-timed and thoughtful follow-up letter or phone call. If you have focused your internship search in a particular area, you might use a follow-up contact to inform the recruiter that you will be in the area on specific dates and you were hoping to schedule an interview or visit the firm. While you should always be prudent when making unsolicited contact with potential firms, don't be afraid to make one discreet call or send a follow-up letter as long as that action does not directly contradict the firm's instructions to you.