We asked W. P. Carey Alumni: What are some ways W. P. Carey students could proactively approach a company for internship opportunities?
Here is what they shared:
- Propose Your Own Internship
- Go Straight to Decision Makers
- Build Your Brand and Network
- Join Student Organizations to Connect With Recruiters
- Do Your Research and Get Creative With How to Stand Out
Propose Your Own Internship
The best way for anyone to approach a company and ask for an internship if none is posted is to propose your own!
Many companies simply don’t have the time or resources to develop their own internship program, but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. You can propose your own internship, laying out your education, relevant experience, and the duties you can perform. You also must be sure to explain how your internship would be of benefit to them.
Linda Scorzo, BS Finance ‘87, CEO, Hiring Indicators
Go Straight to Decision Makers
My recommendation for college students looking to get an internship (if none are posted already) is to find a way to directly contact the person they want to work for or that person’s boss, ideally at a VP or leadership level. Going through the typical application and HR channels will limit the opportunities.
Whether it is an introduction from a professor, friends, or family, or a direct outreach on LinkedIn or an email (not too hard to find emails), reach out and explain your goals and ambition.
They will probably admire the initiative, and if there is any way to create the position, they will find a way to do so and ask their HR team to set it up.
I personally landed an internship in college taking this route. Note: This is particularly effective at midsize and small organizations, but absolutely works at very large ones too.
George Heiler, BS Finance, CIS and SCM, Partner, Anavate Partners
Build Your Brand and Network With Recruiters
When seeking internship opportunities, leveraging your school recruitment fairs is a direct channel to ask for an internship, and building your brand while networking with those potential recruiters is another way to gain access.
Internships help explore the career landscape and when you speak with recruiters early, they can help you build a profile for future opportunities.
My current role came from a simple conversation with a recruiter. They wanted to hire me right away, but I was vetting other companies. I was always professional but maintained a level of interest, and I would not shy away at other career fairs we would run into, instead building a relationship with every encounter.
Mario Solorzano, BD Business Sustainability ‘13, Channel Manager, Insight Enterprises
Join Student Organizations to Connect With Recruiters
An effective tactic for approaching companies for internship opportunities is to join various student organizations within W. P. Carey. Many of the student organizations I was a member or leader of emphasize professional development. Therefore, they invite recruiters to present at their meetings, discuss their company’s mission, and promote any post-graduate opportunities they are currently offering.
Even if the recruiter doesn’t mention internships, it would be wise to approach that individual after their presentation, exchange contact information with them, and arrange a meeting with them to discuss internship opportunities.
Approaching a recruiter ensures you are putting a face to a name; you are establishing a personal connection, so you aren’t just a piece of paper in a stack of resumes or an overlooked email in an inbox. Recruiters appreciate this initiative from students, and as a result, they are more inclined to help those students land an internship.
Mia Hammel, BS Business Management ‘22, Human Resources & Recruiting Coordinator, Squire Patton Boggs
Do Your Research and Get Creative With How to Stand Out
Sometimes, the idea of internships just hasn’t come to mind for some companies. But that doesn’t mean it’s not important or that they aren’t interested in bringing on someone who would add value.
It really depends on the company, but something that I leverage now in my job as an account executive is digging deep into the company, the people, and its mission.
Do your research and really learn about what an organization cares about. Once you have that down, the next step would be to get creative with an approach.
One approach is making a personalized video about why you love who they are, and how you want to be a part of their team (let them have the option of finding or making a position where you will fit), and then sending it to your main contacts, such as hiring managers.
Not only will you be able to hit a soft spot by showing you have done your research, but it will also be obvious that you go the extra mile and really want to be part of who they are.
Haley Cameron, BA Sports & Media ’19, Account Executive, GRIN
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