Never Too Early to Start Looking for an Internship

Finding an internship takes time and effort. When you are overloaded with assignments, a semester can slip away quickly and the search for something you don't really need until later gets postponed.

If you are a freshman, an internship seems forever away so you likely aren't thinking about it too much just yet. As a sophomore, it may be starting to cross your mind as you plan your course schedule for the next three years. Juniors see it looming on the schedule (and are too busy to think about it) but think they still have time to look and seniors, if you haven't started looking yet, you may be in for a surprise!

So when is the best time to start looking for an internship? No later than two semesters before your need to intern is minimum. Even earlier is better! It is never to early to start looking.

Now notice I said "looking" for your internship, not contacting companies or applying for positions. What I mean is to start getting familiar with companies out there. Start searching the internet, phone books, and chamber of commerce for names of companies in your industry and make a list of those who interest you. Note their application deadlines for future reference.

An early search is especially important in a down economy when internships are few and applicants are many. The more time you put into your search, the more likely you are to find hidden gems others have missed. An early search also helps you avoid the last minute rush from procrastinators and may get your application to the top of the pile. You might even land the position before the others begin to search!

Enjoy what you are doing in school but always look ahead to the future. Keeping one step ahead will keep you from falling behind....and not getting the internship you want or possibly not getting one at all. Now you know why they say "the early bird gets the worm."

School's In.....Time to Study!

You spend four years in high school preparing for college. Lab experiments, pop quizzes, homework and chapter tests....with a little fun thrown in....football games, pep rallies, prom. Graduation comes and you move to the next four years. College.

University life brings more freedom. If you are away from home, no one is there to tell you when to do anything. You can get up when you want, go to class if you aren't too tired, stay up all hours of the night and mom isn't there to readjust your attitude.

University life also brings more responsibility. Someone is paying for you to go to class......scholarship, parents, rich uncle, or even possibly you pay the tuition bill. So what is college all about? You may be thinking "now it is time to live it up!" But as a mentor, teacher and friend, I will tell you what I told my kids when they headed to college.

"The next four years [or whatever you need to complete your degree] is a time of intensive training. This is the time to prepare for your career. Work hard now and you can play later. Play now and you will work hard the rest of your life."

By this I mean, learn everything you can about your major and then some. Study, attend classes, and do your assignments with 100% effort. Learn all you can to make yourself the most marketable candidate for your internship and subsequently, an entry-level position. Graduate and start the climb toward financial independence.....then you can retire early, relax and let the fun begin.

Play while in college......skip class, only give 50% (or less) effort on assignments and party instead of studying. You will be looking for excuses when your grades slide and you have a hard time getting an internship.....or a job for that matter. If you think employers can't pick the slackers out of a line-up of applicants, think again. Employers want workers, not slackers.

So, school's in......time to study!