AIP's Guide to Landing Your First Internship

I Don’t Know How to Get An Internship and It’s Frustrating

“Dear Adam, my name is Emmanuel and I’ve been having a lot of trouble figuring out how to find an internship but what worries most is the fact that I do not know which industry I want to work in. I really don't know where to start and I am hoping that someone at AIP can help guide me through the whole process. Thank you for your time.”

We have all been there. That weird transitional phase in life, otherwise known as adulting. It is confusing and honestly, pretty stressful and frustrating. Those countless hours spent applying for jobs on LinkedIn, or any other job application platforms. Landing an internship is hard and it is a lot of pressure. However, as impossible as it may sound, it is possible to find an internship and YOU can do it.

At Asia Internship Program, we realize every single interns’ potential and we want to help kickstart your professional career. AIP knows that finding an internship is difficult and finding one abroad is even harder. These are some questions that all aspiring interns should ask themselves. We encourage you to dig deep into your thoughts and find out who you really are. Here is AIP’s guide for getting an internship.

The Basics of a Normal Job Interview

Job interviews are necessary and everyone has to pass an interview before getting the job. There are certain steps that you should take before heading to a job interview. Some of them are rather obvious, while some are more discrete. It is always important to complete this “checklist” to nail your job interview.

Dress Up

Dressing up for the occasion is important. Finding the perfect job interview attire can be hard but always remember to balance out what you are wearing. Don’t overdress or underdress, so to speak. The type of job that you applied for also matters, for example, a  job interview for a large financial company would require a certain level of decorum. Dress simply with elegance, that’s what always works for occasions such as this one.

Radiate Confidence

Be confident in who you are and be confident in your abilities. No matter what happens, always remember that the interviewer called you in. To a certain extent, they must believe that you are a good fit for the company. Your resumé stands out and now the employers want to see how you interact and converse with them.

Playing to your strengths

Research on what the company does but dig in deep to what your position entails. It’s normal for the interviewer to ask you what your strengths and weaknesses are. Always acknowledge your weaknesses but remember to play to your strengths. Highlight your strengths and how they resonate with the position that you have applied for.

Pacing the Interview

Take control of the pace. Too slow and the interviewer will be bored, too fast and the interviewer won’t understand you. Find the middle ground, present your ideas, and talk at your own pace. This works best when the interviewer talks very, “aggressively.” Pacing the interview helps keep composure and you’ll be able to think clearly when being asked thought provoking questions.

A Strong Mindset

No matter what happens, always be positive. You win some, you lose some but the most important thing is to keep your head up high and have a strong mindset. Some interviews are hard, some are easy and more relaxing. However, if you do make it through a long interview, it proves that you are resilient and professional.

Figuring Out Yourself and Your Goals

Figuring out what type of job you want to do is important. It narrows down which positions you want to apply to as to just applying randomly. At this stage, really evaluate yourself and reflect on what you really want to do. Your first job can really give you an amazing impression about adulting and the work life! Ask yourself some of these questions during the job application process:

What Are Some of the Things I Do During my Free Time?

The things that anyone does during their free time says a lot about themselves. Obviously, doing something that you like will make the experience enjoyable but most importantly, it will give you incentive. If you are extremely passionate about coding, why not look for jobs in the information technology industry. A great way to go about this is to brainstorm things that you enjoy doing. Afterwards, figure out the specific skills you need to use in each activity. Finally, you can then search for jobs that will require these skill sets.

Which Industry Do I Want To Work in?

This is a major one. Always work within an industry that you like and are passionate about. It would not make sense for a college student majoring in arts to work as an engineer. AIP realizes the importance of the industry that interns want to work in. In today’s world a lot of industries are related to one another. Students that are studying in either business related majors or S.T.E.M majors will be able to find an abundance of jobs that have very similar cores.

Do I Want to Work Abroad?

Depending on the type of person that you are, you might want to work domestically, or internationally. Ask yourself this, do you have a desire to work abroad? Being able to work abroad is an excellent addition to your resumé, not to mention that you’ll get to explore a new culture and environment while expanding your perspective on the world and how organizations in other countries operate. Be sure to check out AIP’s services if you’re looking for an internship abroad.

Applying for internships with AIP

At AIP, we aim to please our interns by tailoring the perfect internship. Extremely customizable and entirely up to what our interns desire, it would be a pleasure for us to work with interns around the world to find their dream internship. So, how does it actually work? The initial interview will happen after you have booked your interview with us. A representative from AIP will call you in person to confirm the details of your application.

The interview will be done through Google Hangouts and will take around 15 to 30 minutes. During this interview, the representative from AIP will ask questions pertaining to who you are and your wants & needs. Remember, AIP wishes to understand you best so we can pick the best internship for you. This is great practice before the actual interview. Interns will have the opportunity to tell our representatives who they are, their ideal internships, and their expectations from the whole experience. During the actual Interview, the intern will get to talk to a representative of the company. This will be a professional conversation representing an actual interview. Always remember to speak clearly, present your ideas in an orderly manner, and, overall, really present yourself to the company.

Intern with AIP!

Let AIP help you land your next internship. Use our services and schedule an interview. Tell us your story and let us tailor the perfect internship for you.

Source of the cover photo: Career Employer

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