5 things to note before applying for an internship

The first in a three part series, Bastion Effect intern Cara Gates shares her tips and advice for finding and landing your dream internship! Cara is currently in her fourth year of a double degree in Business (Marketing) and Arts (Communication and Media Studies) at Monash University and loves to see how brands are able to adapt within a constantly developing digital environment. Take it away, Cara!

Thanks team! Applying for anything in life can be daunting, however, an internship is your first taste of professional life, so here are a few tips to help you land your dream workplace.

1. Set yourself apart, show your personality in your application – Agencies sort through hundreds of applications from interns, so what makes you different? If you have the option to submit a video then get creative, and leave the formalities for your resume and cover letter.
2.  Be honest with yourself about time commitments – Especially if you’re still studying. You won’t be able to give your internship or your studies the time they truly need if you don’t manage your time. 
3. Make sure you have a LinkedIn profile that is up to date – Ideally, by the time you are looking to apply for internships your LinkedIn account should be flourishing, you should have connected with colleagues and updated your previous job history and be engaging with relevant content. Having an updated LinkedIn is particularly important if you want to work in communications!
4. Research the places you are considering applying for – Look at the clients they work with and the campaigns they have run – this will give you an idea of the tasks you might be working on if you intern and give you some great things to talk about during your interview. Showing you know the agency you want to work at will help you stand out from the pack.
5. Finally, ask yourself: what am I looking to get out of this internship? This self-reflection will allow you to be honest with yourself about what you expect to gain from the experience as a whole, ultimately setting you up to make the most of the internship.