Sophomore year of college is a great time for students to explore their interests and decide on any minors or changes of study. As a more experienced student, your sophomore year is a popular time to take on an internship and start building out your resume. There are many internship opportunities for sophomores looking to explore their career options.
When should you start internships in college?
College students all start their internships at different points. Some start when they’re more seasoned students and others want to get started immediately — like their freshman or sophomore year. Make sure that you have a workable schedule and factor in the time your internship will take up.
You should start internships in college when you feel ready to juggle another responsibility on your calendar! Summer internships are also a great way to familiarize yourself with the working world while taking advantage of no classes.
Best internships for second year students?
Popular companies for sophomore internships:
- Deloitte
- JP Morgan
- BlackRock
- Amazon
How to search for sophomore internships?
Four ways to search for a sophomore internship:
- Handshake: search your area for “sophomore internships” using Handshake’s easy job filtering feature
- University: browse your school’s job listing page or ask your professors if they know of any openings for internships
- Personal Network: reach out to classmates, professors, or upperclassmen in other majors and see if they have any advice or connections
- Handshake Network: search on Handshake for other students and alumni who have had internships that you’re interested in who can answer your questions about their job, how they liked it, and how to go about applying to something similar
How to get an internship as a college sophomore
Many places hiring sophomore interns are looking for similar keywords in resumes, but what makes the right candidate is listing the skills that make you stand out.
List your past experiences
Even if you’ve never had an internship role, you definitely have skills from past experiences you can offer. From mentorships, volunteer roles, and school projects that you did–there are always skills you can pull from your life that apply.
Six soft skills that might make you a better candidate on your resume:
- Quick learner
- Natural leader
- Organized
- Accountable
- Detail oriented
- Collaborative
Technical skills
It’s likely this might be your first internship, but if it’s not then you may have some technical skills from previous jobs to add to your resume. It’s always a good idea to mention that you have strong industry specific skills, know how to manage projects, or have had experience leading and also being a teamplayer.
What should I write in my cover letter for a sophomore internship?
Besides your resume, your cover letter is another chance to really sell yourself as a future intern.
Three things you should include in your sophomore internship cover letter:
- Previous experiences (volunteer or extracurricular) and how they apply to the role you are applying for
- Why you’re passionate about and interested in working with them
- Specific examples of how you could contribute to their mission
Check out this article with proper formatting techniques and more in depth information about the perfect cover letter.