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Your Guide to Internships in Northern California

Looking for paid summer internships in Northern California? Start with this comprehensive guide full of tips and tricks.

Northern California is one of the best places in the country for innovation and tech. Silicon Valley and San Francisco are great places to get started–both great places to have internships in! Other popular NorCal cities like Oakland and Sacramento are also amazing choices for those looking to explore! Summer internships in Northern California for 2021 are amazing for both expanding your resume and exploring a new city. Famous landmarks and the beautiful coast are great perks that pair well with valuable internship experience. Continue reading along for tips on how to find the best paid summer or spring internships in Northern California.

Tips for your resume and profiles

Before you get started on sending out applications, make sure that you have your resume up to date and have fully filled out all your Handshake profile details. With a complete profile, an impressive Northern California internship is more attainable than ever. Recruiters are much more likely to message a student with a complete profile that says you want to work in Northern California than an unfinished one.

Tips for your internship interview

When you do land your first interview, be it a virtual interview or in person, make sure to come prepared and dressed to impress. Review your resume and cover letter to make sure you have specific examples of your experience to share, from clubs or coursework. You can even schedule a mock interview with your university’s career center or, if you’re tight on time, ask a trusted friend to grill you on some common interview questions.

Tips for networking at your college internship

Once you’ve landed an internship in Northern California and settled into the flow of day-to-day life at the office, start chatting with your coworkers. Whether they’re industry professionals or fellow interns, it’s important to treat them with equal respect. You never know what insights they could lend, or who could be a valuable connection down the line, five or ten years from now. Don’t be afraid to ask your new colleagues out for quick coffee chats, or request 15-minute informational interviews about their career trajectory.

Want more tips for getting the most out of your internship?

Looking for specific advice before your internship begins? Or are you hungry for further information even after your internship is over? A good way to delve even deeper into your career path growth is to attend a virtual event or two. Not only will you be learning more about your own career, but there will also be chances to network with employers, industry specialists, and other students sharing different perspectives.

Where can I find an internship in NorCal?

Here is a list of employers looking for interns in NorCal, including some of the best summer internships in Northern California:

  • Amazon
  • Deloitte
  • Salesforce
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Facebook

For the best summer internships in Northern California, consider the list above and apply!

Tips and tricks to surviving your NorCal internship

If you’re a transplant or even if you’ve called Northern California home forever, it never hurts to review advice for living in the city during your internship. After you’ve figured out how to get an internship in NorCal, consider other important parts of your internship journey.

How to get around Northern California

Northern California has so much to offer, although if you want to see it all one your own, we recommend that you bring a car or rent a ZipCar for traveling days! The Bay Area has pretty good public transportation like Muni and BART, but if you plan on going farther than the regular stops, make sure you have a game plan ready with all your different bus and train lines. Uber and Lyft are also great options if you’re in a pinch and want someone else to take the wheel.

In general, if you’re comfortable taking public transportation, then have the correct apps and bus routes figured out. But if you’re going to be taking your car to work and back, make sure both work and your apartment have enough parking spaces or a parking garage.

5 Essential NorCal restaurants to try during your internship

If you’re a foodie, Northern California will definitely not disappoint.

  1. San Tung’s (San Francisco)
  2. Kevin’s Noodle House (San Francisco)
  3. Cholita Linda (Oakland)
  4. Chez Panisse (Berkeley)
  5. Kru (Sacramento)

Things to experience during your time in Northern California

  1. Golden Gate Park
  2. SFMOMA
  3. Russian River
  4. Napa
  5. Yosemite National Park

How do I find an apartment in NorCal?

Consider these resources to help your NorCal apartment search:

  1. Craigslist
  2. Zillow
  3. Hotpads
  4. Join a Northern California Housing, Rooms, Apartments, and Sublets group on Facebook

Where to order food from in NorCal?

  1. GrubHub
  2. Postmates
  3. DoorDash
  4. Caviar
  5. Check out your neighborhood’s local delivery restaurants

Finding an internship in NorCal

How do I find paid internships in NorCal?

When searching for a paid internship in NorCal, it’s key to use the location filters provided on Handshake. You’ll be able to pinpoint internships exactly where you want to intern just by selecting the city you want in the search bar. Easy internships in Northern California are just a search away.

You can also research top companies in Northern California by visiting our list of Handshake employers and typing Northern California or Bay Area into the “Location” search bar. This way you’ll be able to see employers in your desired location. Once on a company’s page, you can read reviews from students who have interned there or study up on some interview questions.

Where do interns live in Northern California?

To find rentals, many interns use resources like Craigslist, Zillow, and other sites specifically for apartment hunting. If you have any connections in the city, it’s also always good to consider those first.

How can an intern live in Northern California?

Moving to a new city is equal parts exciting and nerve wracking–make sure you have all your details squared away for your internship before you pack your bags.

Here are a few things to consider:

  • Have you checked out tips on how to land an internship?
  • Do you need your internship to provide compensation?
  • Are you renting in an affordable neighborhood?
  • Do you have a vehicle? If not, are you comfortable using public transportation frequently?
  • Will the food options available work for you?

How can I get an internship without experience in NorCal?

If you don’t have previous experience and want to kickstart your first internship in Northern California, don’t fret! There are definitely ways to land that role you’ve had your eyes on. Northern California internships want you!

Start by reviewing your resume! Read it over a couple of times and then consider the types of internships you’re going to be applying for. Think back to courses you’ve taken at university, as well as any extracurriculars, volunteer work, or even organizations (clubs or greek life for example) that you’ve participated in. Organize the skills that you’ve gained from those experiences and add them to your resume and Handshake profile. Even though you might not have held an internship or job before, there are still ways to prove your worth through other skills and experiences.

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