Internships

Students are asking me: “𝐀𝐦 𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫?” ❌ No, of course not. Industry experience is one of the most valuable things you can put on your resume but you can get creative with how you get that experience. Some of the best opportunities aren’t posted — they’re shared. Here’s how to make real progress without a formal internship: ⸻ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐔𝐩 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 ⭐️ Check Eventbrite + Meetup — connect with local professionals, even for funzies ⭐️ Big names recruit heavily at SWE, SHPE, NSBE — I got my Apple internship through SWE ⭐️ Niche events: SF Tech Week, Afrotech, Latinx in Tech, Grace Hopper, MLH Hackathons, etc. Not-so-secret tip: These events let you upload your resume to conference-specific databases, and many secure next-day interviews/offers from this. ⸻ 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 ⭐️ Look into Capital One’s Early ID, Google STEP, Goldman Sachs Insights, Facebook University, etc ⭐️ Campus ambassadorships — Microsoft, Notion, Adobe, etc → These often lead to referrals, experience, and paid gigs ⸻ 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐘𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 — 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 ⭐️ Research with a professor (just ask!) ⭐️ Helping a startup on a short-term project ⭐️ Freelance or launch your own product ⸻ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 — warm connections ⭐️ Professors: Many are ex-industry professionals — they have connections to companies or even graduated students in the workplace ⭐️ Alumni: Find grads from your school, ask about their path — then ask about opportunities ⭐️ Local companies & startups: Easier access, faster timelines ⸻ 5️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 — 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 If you’re not learning 𝘰𝘯 the job, treat learning 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 a job. ⭐️ Courses: Coursera, edX, AWS (Google IT, IBM Data Science, Meta Front-End) ⭐️ Certs: CAPM, Lean Six Sigma, Scrum Master ⭐️ Projects: Scrimba, Frontend Mentor, GitHub -> show, don’t just tell Highlight “Projects” section on your resume + “Featured Posts” on LinkedIn ⸻ 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 ⭐️ LinkedIn | WayUp | Handshake | Jobright AI | Simplify New roles drop daily. Don’t count yourself out early. ⸻ 6️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝. ⭐️ Read: 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘈𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴, 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 — soft skills get you hired. ⭐️ Rest: Take that trip. You’ll never have this kind of freedom once PTO kicks in. Protect your energy — it’s a long game. I never liked reading myself, but committing to 1 book this year, small wins :) === 🔁: Repost to your network if you found this useful or tag a friend ➕ Follow me: Anna Chen for weekly career tips and job postings #NoInternshipNoProblem #EarlyCareer #NetworkingTips #UndergradOpportunities #TipsIWishIKnewEarlier

Internships are your fastest path to a great job! During my bachelor’s degree, I did 5 internships in 5 different domains—each one building on the last. That diverse experience helped me land my first product management internship in the U.S., which then led to another offer as a PM. Eventually, all these experiences combined made me a strong candidate for my current job! In today’s ultra-competitive job market, internships aren’t just optional—they’re essential. They help you stand out and increase your chances of landing interviews. I started with an unpaid internship because I lacked experience, but I used that as a stepping stone. One opportunity led to another, and soon, I was working with some of the best companies out there. 👩🏻💻If you’re a student: ✅ Find internships early – Many top companies start hiring interns months in advance. Set up alerts on job boards like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Glassdoor. Maybe say yes to an unpaid internship? ✅ Network your way in – 80% of jobs aren’t posted online. Reach out to alumni, attend career fairs, and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn. ✅ Leverage side projects – If you don’t have experience, create it! Work on personal projects, contribute to open-source, or freelance to build a portfolio. ✅ Be open to startups & smaller companies – Big brands are competitive, but startups offer hands-on experience and faster growth opportunities. ✅ Keep learning – Certifications, online courses, and workshops can help you gain new skills that make you a stronger candidate. By the time you graduate, you’ll already have a competitive edge in your job search! 🚀 #career #tips #students #linkedin #internship

I’ve done 12 (PAID) internships over the last ~3 years. Outside of mastering my boss’s Starbucks order, here’s the 3 things they taught me about networking: ↳ 1) When you’re coffee chatting someone, DON'T come with QUESTIONS, come with IDEAS Think about the last authentic and genuine conversation you had. Did you come prepared with 3-5 questions about their background? NO, you came talking about something you’re genuinely interested in and delved deep into those topics. The peak of your conversation wasn’t asking them about their day—it was asking them about something that felt personal and deep. So if you’re meeting them for the first time, come PREPARED with researched topics that you are genuinely interested to know about. ↳ 2) NEVER just say "Good" after someone asks “How Are You” The biggest turnoff (especially for me) is talking to someone who seems boring or uninteresting. You want to show the other person your authentic personality and speak more to your day—even if all you did that day was go to the gym! 3) ALWAYS ask for a way to keep in touch To build relationships with people, you have to keep in touch. If the conversation is going well, never forget to insinuate the idea of staying connected, either through LinkedIn, email, or even Instagram!

“How can I get work experience without work experience?” This is a catch-22 that some students and recent graduates often encounter as they navigate their early career journeys. ⭐ Here are a few ways I got around it and some things I recommend: 1️⃣ Take free certifications, courses, fellowships, and boot camps There are so many online certifications and courses for technical and nontechnical industries—a few are free, too! When I lacked experience, I took a few of these to sharpen my skills, and I included them on my resume and LinkedIn. Some platforms I recommend include Acadium (marketing courses), LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Skillshare, Grow with Google, Verizon Skill Forward (technical courses), and of course, YouTube University. Bonus: Free fellowships and boot camp programs are great too! A few I recommend are COOP, Colorwave, CodePath, Kode With Klossy, Springboard and CareerFoundry - ProFellow is a great website for finding fellowships. 2️⃣ Apply for professional development programs These programs are usually for those who don’t have much work experience and partner with Fortune 500 companies for program support and to hire program alumni. In addition to internships, they provide mentorship, career development workshops, and a robust alumni network. Some programs I recommend include MLT Career Prep, INROADS, The LAGRANT Foundation, and SHPEP (pre med/health). 🎯 You can find a list of programs here: https://lnkd.in/gzrai8Bn 3️⃣ Complete micro-internships or externships These programs are usually less than 4 weeks, project based, sometimes paid, and a great way to beef up your resume by doing projects with cool brands. You can find opportunities like these on platforms such as Parker Dewey, Extern, and Forage 4️⃣ Do freelance work When I started my marketing career, I created my own agency where I worked with small-owned businesses. This helped me stand out in my interviews and further grow my portfolio. Create the work experiences you need to get the job you want. 5️⃣ Hyped up my extracurriculars and passion projects In college, I was heavily involved in my sorority and did a lot of work in recruitment and managing our digital branding. Throughout my resume, I emphasized my wins using Google’s XYZ format to highlight my leadership efforts and show that I was a well-rounded candidate. I also ran a college & lifestyle blog which helped me grow in my marketing, graphic design, and communications skill set. By having it listed in my resume as work experience, it was always a hot topic in my interviews Don’t be afraid to share on your resume who you are outside of work because the lessons you learn in those experiences can translate into transferable skills for the workplace. 💌 and while you're at it, check out my YouTube video to help you find some of these opportunities: https://lnkd.in/gm3PB-ae #earlycareer #internships #jobhunting #entryleveljobs

There’s one question that nearly every intern has… How do I get a return offer? I had the same question when I interned Adobe in 2022. I constantly dreamt about it nearly everyday of my 3 month internship until one day, I turned my dream to reality (someone queue that song!) Let’s discuss shall we! Step 1: Make connections Talking to people on your team is great, talking to people within your business unit is even better, but going beyond that is how you differentiate yourself. Use your company’s internal org chart to your advantage. Look around and see what people you would be interested in connecting with and learning from. Reach out to these individuals and ask if they would be willing to spare 20-30 minutes of their time for a coffee chat. Here’s two key tips about these conversations 1. Research these individuals before your coffee chat. This will help you form questions to ask them. Research can be done through LinkedIn, company intranet, or the company’s HRIS system. 2. At the end of each chat, always ask “is there someone else who you think I would benefit in connecting with?” Step 2: Understand how your work as an intern connects to broader business goals and hone in on that This is where those connections come in. If you have a more well rounded view of how the business works, then it most likely will be easier for you to understand how your work ties into the bigger picture. Get clarity on how processes work, make note of who will have visibility to your work, and inquire about how greater business decisions are made. This will help you see the full picture. Step 3: Create a brag book I’ve talked about this many times before because I stand on it! Write down everything you do in your internship no matter how big or small! Whether you made an agenda or created a whole new system, keep track of and quantify your impact week over week. This way at the end of your internship you’ll be able to clearly communicate the impact of your work. Step 4: Stay curious Play the intern card. There is no dumb question. If you’re interested to know more about how something works, ask. If you’re interested in why something is being done the way that it is, inquire about. Asking questions shows that you’re interested and engaged in your work and the work that’s happening around you. Step 5: Ask for feedback and apply it To be honest, this last step was the hardest one for me, but the benefit of doing it is exponential. Always ask what you could potentially do better even if you think you’ve done it all. Keep note of this feedback and apply it as you continue throughout your internship. Trust me, people will take notice and most likely be impressed by your efforts. ——————————————————————— For those who have had success in converting their internship full time, what advice would you give to students? #tipswithtaylor #summerinterns #intern2024 #internconversion

During my undergrad, I did 5 solid paid machine learning internships in places like NTU Singapore, University of Michigan and Microsoft. I wasn't from a top-tier college and majored in Electronics. 😅 These internships were key to getting into my CS master's at Carnegie Mellon. Here are some lesser-known tips for landing internships: 🚩 Endorse: Don't hesitate to showcase your work boldly, no matter how small! We're living in a competitive world, it's super important to toot your own horn! Whether it's your GitHub or Kaggle projects, personal website, or blogs, endorsing your work on public platforms can bring visibility and explain how you'd add value as an intern. 🚩Focus on creating reusable assets: Whether it's a code snippet, research paper, or literature review, sharing something useful online boosts your credibility. Even while interning, document your contributions, such as through a research paper or blog post (with permission of course!). 🚩Have realistic cold-email expectations: Reaching out to professors and industry professionals can open doors. However, remember, only a small fraction of these emails will be read (3-4% in my experience), let alone responded to. But one positive reply can make all the difference. To improve your chances, tailor your message to show familiarity with their work. Avoid generic emails. 🚩Piggyback like a pro: Landing your first internship may be tough, but use it as a stepping stone. During your internship, explore resources and contacts that could help you secure future positions. Performing well often leads to referrals for new opportunities. 🚩Develop lasting, mutual relationships: "Networking" is a loaded term and is talked about a lot, but shallow connections don't offer much help. Connect with people who share your goals and match your thought process, be open to support them when needed. Share your skills and think beyond immediate gains. 🚩Your college matters... and doesn't: Sure, coming from an IIT might help get your foot in the door, but to keep moving up, you have to consistently keep working. The world isn’t always fair, and we can't change that. What truly matters is how you create your own leverage. Use the tips given above to move ahead, focusing on doing your best with what you've got. 🚩There's no single formula: Take advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Success comes in many forms. Find the path that works best for you. I'll soon be sharing some resources around securing internships with The LevelUp Org members. Let me know if you want to be added to the email list in the comments below! #machinelearning #internships

I landed my first internship at a Fortune 100 with NO prior work experience. Everyone has to start somewhere, but what the #&%@ do you put on a resume when you have no work experience? 😂 Here's what I did & how you can replicate it ⬇️ Getting the first internship [or first job] is, in my opinion, one of the hardest you'll ever do in your career. It's a perpetual "chicken before the egg" problem ~ how do you get experience if everyone requires prior experience? The reality that no one talks about is that you can't apply to a role with a blank/empty resume, so you have to get *some* form of experience. This is the step that people often skip over: resume *building*. Here are three areas you can build your resume in, all of which I have done: 🛠️ Project experience -- projects are the EASIEST way to gain experience since you don't need anyone's permission, approval, or supervision to do it. Here are some example projects for different career paths ~ mobile & web apps (software engineering), investment memo or thesis (venture capital), product prototype/design, and strategy (product management). 🛠️ Competition experience -- want to test your abilities under pressure? And potentially win awards & cash prizes? Enter competitions! I won $12K+ from hackathons (SWE/PM), engineering pitch competitions (ENGR/Biz), startup pitch competitions (PM/Biz) and case competitions (Consulting). 🛠️ Work *Lite* experience -- fellowships, externships, micro-internships, etc. Basically, any form of "relevant" experience. These types of opportunities typically have less competition, can be slightly easier to attain, and don't have the same type of requirements/requisites as internships and full-time roles. You have to start somewhere; not only will these experiences fill your resume, but they'll also give you more confidence in the job search! Once you've built your resume, write it like a pro using these guidelines: ✅ Use the Google XYZ method ~ this is like the golden rule for resumes, and it goes, "Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]." ✅ Use your resume to TELL A STORY ~ use descriptive adjectives, strong verbs, and consistent bullet points to create a cohesive story that makes you look like THE perfect candidate for the job. ✅ Use an ATS-friendly format ~ this isn't too difficult, but it's a HUGE stumbling block for applicants. If your resume can't be read by an ATS, you will likely get auto-rejected. 😳 🧠 Want to avoid the mistakes I made & see THE resume that got me my first internship at an F100 with NO work experience? Comment your email & I'll send a copy straight to your inbox! 📥 #internships #earlycareer #newgrad #summerinternship

Hiring an intern is a full-circle moment for me. At 19, hunting for my first internship, I made all the same mistakes I'm spotting now. From a scattergun application spree across 26 roles in finance to marketing, I was all over the map. My lucky break came through a friend's referral to an LVMH internship (forever grateful to Belén Estacio 🙌), but without that, I'd likely have come up empty-handed. For first-timers in the internship game, feeling clueless is part of the process. Here’s a straightforward guide to hopefully help you navigate the process a little smoother: 1. Resume: Lack of work experience? Compensate with everything else – projects, externships, volunteer work, part-time jobs. Got an Etsy shop in high school? Have a ton of followers on social media? That counts. Show off your initiative! And get that resume reviewed – career services, friends with internships, or hit up Google for “Best resumes”. 2. Pre-Interview Prep: Dedicate at least an hour to prep (seriously!). Dive into the company’s website, content, and videos. Know it inside out. Be ready for questions like: - Tell me about yourself - Walk me through your experience - Why this company? - What are your passions? Future aspirations? It’s less about the answers and more about showing you’re prepared and thoughtful. 3. During the Interview: Show off your homework, dress sharp, and keep it conversational. Always ask questions, even if you think you have none. It shows you’re engaged and curious. Some go-to questions: - What’s a typical day look like? - How’s success measured here? - What are the next steps? 4. Post-Interview: Don’t skip the thank you email. It's simple, quick, and often a deal-breaker. Stand out by mentioning something specific from the interview or something the interviewer recently shared. This isn’t exhaustive, but it’s a solid start to stand out as an intern candidate. For a deep dive, ChatGPT’s your go-to for tips on acing your internship application. RESOURCES: 1. Looking for an internship? Check out the Blackstone Launchpad program here: https://lnkd.in/gD8868sx 2. Need more help? BASTA offers free career prep resources for landing that dream internship: https://lnkd.in/e-rT9dA5 Good luck and happy applying!

Tired of searching job boards daily and seeing the same posts? Try this: Search the other direction. Here's how: Find companies that match your skills first, then find people to connect with there. Go to perplexity.ai and search for "Give me a list of the 10 fastest growing companies in <field you are in> with <number of employees> in <location you want to work>" For instance, I tried: "Give me a list of the 10 fastest growing companies in healthcare data science with under 1000 employees in the US" Then I took that list and went to LinkedIN and looked each company up. This gave me a list of a bunch of potential companies to look at job postings, people who I could connect with, and ideas for job searches. Some of the jobs listed were remote, but didn't show up as remote through the LI search. I worked at a startup that doubled in size multiple years in a row. We definitely hired people who we stumbled across without a job req at all (one of my best hires ever was someone who sent us a cold email). We also loved when qualified people showed up without us doing any work. Putting your resume in is what everyone is doing. Connecting with someone who does something you genuinely think is interesting and cool - then telling them so - that is unique. Note: this only works if your profile is clear on your experience, capabilities, and grabs their attention quickly. If you need help with that, send me a DM and I can pass along my system for improving your LI profile.

Now is when undergraduates are highly focused on securing and finalizing their summer internship plans. Firms (including KKR) get inundated with emails and LinkedIn messages to network on investment banking, private equity, infrastructure, credit, and consulting. Here are the 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 things that I have found 𝑴𝑶𝑺𝑻 effective that undergrads can do to successfully network: 1. 𝐃𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊: It sounds obvious, but I find so few undergrads actually do homework before reaching out. Research the firm, the role, and the person. Most successful candidates not only did the pre-work, but referenced their prep work which made it more likely to get a response and help build a rapport.  2. 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃 (“Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?”): You would be surprised that with a just little effort, you can find a warm introduction to a key decision-maker. You are 100x more likely to get a response when you find and leverage a connection. How to do this? Use LinkedIn, ask a professor, talk to a recent alumni graduate who can introduce you to his/her boss, etc. Take the extra step. It makes a difference. 3. 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖-𝐔𝐏: If you are able to make a connection, follow up on it! I am always surprised when I take time to speak with an undergrad and they don’t follow up. And if your email or call goes unanswered, don’t give up. Think about another angle and try again. You would be surprised at how a little persistence gets attention. Good luck in the recruiting process! Stay energized and optimistic! #Networking #Recruiting #Internships #PrivateEquity #CareerGrowth