Robert Cain, a Claremont McKenna College junior who recently took over Handshake's Instagram, has landed two different internship offers using Handshake. Watch Robert's takeover from the streets of Prague to learn all about his internship search! In it, he gives three simple tips for optimizing your internship search on Handshake, which we've fleshed out ahead.
1. Fully complete your profile
Make sure your Handshake profile is filled out to completion to stand out to recruiters! The more information you add about your work and volunteer experience, completed coursework, and special skills or qualifications, the more likely you are to catch a hiring manager's eye as they're searching for desirable candidates.
2. Express your interests
Select industry interests to make sure that Handshake recommends the best job and internship opportunities for you. The Handshake algorithm does its best to recommend listings popular among your major or university if you don't select personal interests, but the more preferences you provide, the more accurate these suggestions will be. This simple step could be the key to learning about your next exciting internship opportunity.
3. Don't put all your eggs into one basket
During college application season, high school guidance counselors often encourage students to apply to a range of "reach" and "safety" schools. Robert suggests treating internships the same way — don't put too much stock into one singular opportunity. Always apply to more than one listing, he says; it's not a bad thing to have "reach" opportunities and "safety" opportunities! Even if you don't land your top choice, you might end up loving one of your "backup" options.
Want even more inspiration for your internship search? Check out other ways students are landing opportunities and recommendation letters.