One of the biggest advantages of studying as an exchange student is that you can find plenty of options to find an internship after your stay. However, getting an internship is not easy. It is a lengthy process that can take a couple of months before getting accepted. I’ve gathered the information I learned from my own personal experience as well as the experiences of my friends and other applicants that can help you get an internship faster. The top 5 tips are:
1. Be aware of time
At the beginning you must know that internship registration processes start with at least 4 month in advance. So you must be aware of all the requirements needed in order to submit your application as soon as registration opens. This might seem obvious for some people, but most of my friends ran out of time because they were not aware of the deadlines and had to pass on some opportunity.
2. Have your resume and cover letter reviewed
MET International exchange student might know how to speak and communicate properly in English, nonetheless writing a resume and a cover letter to get an internship must be carefully assessed by experts. In most of the countries, resumes and cover letters have different formats, and they differ a lot from one country to another. For example: you might have an excellent resume for applying for French internship, but it might not even be a good one in the United States. Boston University has a department where they check your resume and cover letter in order to help you improve them. This way, you will be able to submit successful resumes and cover letters.
3. Ability to speak foreign languages
Indeed it is important to speak English in the United States, but since many multinational companies have their headquarters in the US, knowing a foreign language may be a determinant factor that can help you get an internship. For instance: BMW North America has headquarters in the US, and they are looking for people who are fluent in English and German.
4. Being an American citizen or resident
The majority of us are MET International students, hence it is expected that most of us have passports from our native countries. However, there are some cases where some students have the American residence or citizenship. For instance, one of my friends was born in Latin America and another in Europe. Nevertheless both have an American passport and this is a great advantage for them since they can get an internship easier as less documents and legal processes are required. Both got an internship for next semester.
5. Have past work experience
Experience is everything. Showing in your resume that you have professional experience or other internships make you an attractive intern so be sure to write down all your past jobs. Likewise, it is important to highlight just those jobs that are relevant to the position you are trying to apply for, otherwise, it would make no sense to cite jobs that are not related to that field. For example: it is not advised to write your past job in the dining hall if you are applying for a marketing position at Apple.
I hope these tips are helpful. Good luck!
1. Be aware of time
At the beginning you must know that internship registration processes start with at least 4 month in advance. So you must be aware of all the requirements needed in order to submit your application as soon as registration opens. This might seem obvious for some people, but most of my friends ran out of time because they were not aware of the deadlines and had to pass on some opportunity.
2. Have your resume and cover letter reviewed
MET International exchange student might know how to speak and communicate properly in English, nonetheless writing a resume and a cover letter to get an internship must be carefully assessed by experts. In most of the countries, resumes and cover letters have different formats, and they differ a lot from one country to another. For example: you might have an excellent resume for applying for French internship, but it might not even be a good one in the United States. Boston University has a department where they check your resume and cover letter in order to help you improve them. This way, you will be able to submit successful resumes and cover letters.
3. Ability to speak foreign languages
Indeed it is important to speak English in the United States, but since many multinational companies have their headquarters in the US, knowing a foreign language may be a determinant factor that can help you get an internship. For instance: BMW North America has headquarters in the US, and they are looking for people who are fluent in English and German.
4. Being an American citizen or resident
The majority of us are MET International students, hence it is expected that most of us have passports from our native countries. However, there are some cases where some students have the American residence or citizenship. For instance, one of my friends was born in Latin America and another in Europe. Nevertheless both have an American passport and this is a great advantage for them since they can get an internship easier as less documents and legal processes are required. Both got an internship for next semester.
5. Have past work experience
Experience is everything. Showing in your resume that you have professional experience or other internships make you an attractive intern so be sure to write down all your past jobs. Likewise, it is important to highlight just those jobs that are relevant to the position you are trying to apply for, otherwise, it would make no sense to cite jobs that are not related to that field. For example: it is not advised to write your past job in the dining hall if you are applying for a marketing position at Apple.
I hope these tips are helpful. Good luck!