IT’S TIME TO FIND AN INTERNSHIP: HOW TO USE LINKEDIN TO YOUR FAVOUR

As a student, you may be struggling with finding an internship or even just deciding what you want to do after you graduate.

You get tired about sending out your application. You re-write your cover letter a hundred times. You apply to what looks like every company on the planet. Then, you begin to wonder: How do I get an IT placement for my SIWES programme?

Listen intern,

I’ve gone through that road before. So, I can tell how you feel right now. Do you think your IT letter is poorly written and would like me to review your application?

Or life is just unfair to you?

You see, you choose your course of study because you liked it (If I guess right). Not because it was the path to a specific job or career. You never really gave it much thought until now. You’re probably thinking:

No way to get an industrial training in my field of study. This course has got me in trouble! Maybe I’ll just stay back at home and do nothing. (See: What to do if you are yet to secure an internship )

But wait, don’t you have a LinkedIn profile?

Now is the time to reach out to people who can help.

Contacting an alum for career advice can feel scary and awkward, but it’s all part of the process. Check out LinkedIn’s Alumni tool and Conversation Starters in LinkedIn Messaging to give yourself a jump start.

Related:

• 5 Effective Tips To Boost Your LinkedIn Profile Attract Employers
• How To Use LinkedIn To Get Your Dream Internship: The Best Tips!

If you’ve noticed someone you’re interested in chatting with has published an article recently or has been mentioned in the news, that’s also a great way to organically start a conversation.

After sending out a few messages on LinkedIn, you start to see replies: “Sure, let’s chat!” You prepare a few questions. You ask them why they chose their jobs and what they do every day and then decide what appeals to you.

Consulting? No

Start-up cultures? Probably not.

Finance? Maybe.

Working in teams? A must.

Large companies? Yes.

You keep reaching out, and ideas keep coming in. After some helpful conversations, you figure out that you want to work in sales at a large technology company.

So, when you come across John Doe’s profile on LinkedIn, you jump for joy. John Doe went to the same university, studied the same course, and he’s now the Director of Sales at your top-choice company. wow!

Messaging John Doe on LinkedIn is a breeze now. You know you can talk about your shared university and course of study, and your interest in the same company.

“I remember being in your shoes like it was yesterday. Happy to chat.”

Now for the happy ending.

John Doe connects you with two sales colleagues. One is hiring for an Account Intern. You apply, interview, and you guessed it: You land the internship.

What’s a better feeling than that? Nothing, you say to yourself, nothing.

The main point:

Getting an internship / IT placement to do your SIWES programme is often daunting, sometimes dreary, but always doable. You have to do the hard work but LinkedIn is right by your side to show you new ideas, help you make connections, and to guide you. They even have a job section from different cities and industries that give you the highest chance of landing your next internship, read more

To learn more about how to find LinkedIn jobs, check out this post.

Your dream internship is a click away! Start browsing internship jobs today