How to have a successful virtual summer internship

As exam season is ending, the summer internship season is upon us. While in the past, summer internships were in-person, allowing students to fully immerse themselves into the role and the organisation, summer internships 2021 are online, because of the pandemic. This is probably not any student’s ideal way to do a summer internship, but there are still ways to have a successful one and make the most of it. Below are five ways to have a successful virtual summer internship for students:

Apply early

To get the internship that is the best fit for you, start applying early. Begin looking for internships even before you finish your exams, if possible. After you finish them, speed up your search. Look for opportunities that require the skill set you have. You needn’t have all the skills they require- you’ll learn a lot on the job- but for most positions, having a degree in that field and some experience or training is important.

Browse the right internship sites

To get a good internship which teaches you the ropes of the profession and introduces you to potential future employers, you must search for internships in the right places.

Below are great places to find the internship you want:

• LinkedIn

• Internshala

• InternWorld

• stuMagz

• Twenty19

• LetsIntern

You can narrow down your search by years of experience, industry, timings, and expertise on these websites to find the role that is perfect for you.

Create a good CV

To stand out from the rest and get hired, you need to present your skills and accomplishments the best way you can. Millions of students get the same degree and thousands will have similar past work and internship experiences. You need to show recruiters why you’re special. For example, if you want a coding internship, write about how you taught yourself all the computer/coding languages. If you want to work in publishing, tell them about how you’ve interviewed authors before, or have written really good book reviews.

Here are a few things you must include on your CV:

• Name and contact information

• Education: the schools you went to, the college you’re attending, the subjects you are taking

• A summary: of who you are, what you aspire to do, what you bring to the table

• Work experience: any internships you have previously had

• Volunteer experience: including volunteer experience shows that you are a well-rounded candidate and someone who gives back to the community

• Skills: any computer languages you know, Microsoft suite, Adobe applications, design, UX, machine learning

• Awards and certificates: include any awards and certificates you have received. They’ll show your hard work and determination: any computer languages you know, Microsoft suite, Adobe applications, design, UX, machine learning

It’s vital to ensure your CV is grammatically correct, concise and easy to read as well.

Have the best broadband plan for internships

A broadband connection is required in order to have a successful summer internship from your home. The best broadband plans for students are those that have high-speed internet and unlimited data. As a college student with an internship, you could be using your internet connection for your summer internship, streaming from OTT platforms, gaming, social media, and more. Your family members will also be using the same internet connection. If you’re going to work all day, you must ensure that your connection is high-speed and unlimited so everyone can have a smooth, uninterrupted experience. You don’t want to be unable to download a large file for work or have your internet stop working in the middle of a conference call with your boss. That’s why you must ensure that you have the best broadband plan for internships. Hathway Broadband has the best internet plans for college students in every city. Check them out on their website.

Ace the interview

Once you have been accepted on the basis of your CV, most companies will schedule an interview with you. The key is to be prepared. Be ready to:Talk about your background, current studies, and general interests: explain where you grew up, what subjects you studied, what your professional interests are

Your future aspirations: if you’re applying for a marketing internship, tell the interviewer whether you wish to be a senior copywriter some day, or an account executive, or content planning head

The work you have done at previous roles: often employers choose you because your previous work experience has given you work that prepares you for the role. Explain specifically what you did in the role- what tasks you completed, how you did them, how you acted as a leader, what you learnt from the experience overall.

What special skills you bring to the table: if the role requires knowledge of computer languages, tell the interviewer all the ones you know. If you’ve taught yourself anything or taken a special course, mention that as well.

What you hope to gain from the position you are interviewing for: explain why you’re interested in this particular position. If you want to copyedit books in the future, how will this role develop you so you can reach your aspirations? What will it teach you?

Ask questions about the role and company: when the interviewer asks if you have any questions, always have a few already in mind. This shows genuine curiosity about the company.

Work hard and build relationships

Companies often hire students for full-time roles from internships. The thing is, many companies have several interns and only a few full-time roles. You must make yourself stand out among the sea of interns. This means working extra hard and smart and building meaningful relationships with your supervisors and co-workers. You want the company to remember you as someone who had a good impact on the company’s work as well as the people in it. This is hard to do online, but all the more necessary. When the world opens up, you want to have a good job lined up. Ways to build relationships:

• Always greet employees when you enter in the mornings

• When you both have time, ask employees what their role is and what they do in their roles

• If you have extra time, ask someone who in not your direct supervisor if you can help them with their projects

• Be reliable with your work

• Have a positive attitude

• Always be willing to learn new ways of doing things

• Take feedback and constructive criticism well, and use it to improve your work

• Have a good work ethic

• Don’t come late, complain, or have a negative attitude towards anyone or anything

Be a leader

Not just in summer internships, but in the larger world right now as well, leaders are needed. In your summer internship, be the positive one when no one feels like working because of the situation around us. Lift the spirits of other interns and inspire them. If someone is going through something difficult, be there for them, and show others how to empathise as well. And when there's a big project due, take the initiative to lead, dole out responsibilities, and have everyone work together as a team. Showing that you can be a kind and effective leader will go a long way.For more on the best internet plan for college students and the required broadband connection for work from home, click here.