Besides fulfilling your childhood dreams of living in an exciting city, interning in San Francisco is a great launchpad for your career. San Francisco is known for its tech, arts, and medical internships and has a rich and vibrant social, technological, and intern scene.
Summer internships provide you with many valuable experiences, giving a real taste of what it’ll be like to work in your preferred industry down the line. You’ll connect with potential mentors, learn trade secrets, and build relationships with coworkers with a range of expertise. Internships beef up resumes, provide valuable avenues to letters of recommendation, and can even turn into full-time jobs. If you consider all of these perks of interning and add the benefit of exploring a diverse city that’s full of opportunities, you have a very compelling list of reasons to intern in San Francisco. Continue reading along for tips on how to find the best paid summer 2021 or fall internships in San Francisco.
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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 college internships in San Francisco
Once you’ve landed an internship in San Francisco 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 San Francisco?
Here is a list of employers looking for interns in San Francisco, including some of the best companies to intern for in San Francisco:
Amazon
Amazon is the largest digital marketplace with branches in streaming, AI, and cloud computing.
- Industry: Internet & Software
- Types of roles: Software Developers and Engineers, Administrative Services Managers, Business Analysts, and Management Consultants
- Recommended applicants: An Amazon internship could be a good fit if you’re interested in a workplace with a wide variety of job opportunities, and believe your major and skillset to be a match to your specific desired role.
Apple
Apple is a multinational technology company.
- Industry: Electronic & Computer Hardware
- Types of roles: Marketing Managers, Business Analysts, Account Managers
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Apple if you’re majoring in computer science, marketing, or business administration, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable areas.
Facebook is a social media platform and technology company.
- Industry: Internet & Software
- Types of roles: Auditors, Bookkeeping, Product Managers, Software Developers and Engineers
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Facebook if you’re majoring in marketing, design, or computer science, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable fields.
Microsoft
Microsoft is a multinational technology company.
- Industry: Internet & Software
- Types of roles: Data Analysts, Project Managers, Sales Agents, Software Developers and Engineers
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Microsoft if you’re majoring in data science or marketing, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable fields.
Twitter is a leading social networking platform.
- Industry: Internet & Software
- Types of roles: Software Developers and Engineers
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Twitter if you’re majoring in marketing, engineering, or business, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable areas.
Starwood Capital Group
Starwood Capital Group is a private investment firm.
- Industry: Portfolio Management
- Types of roles: Investment Analysts, Property, Real Estate
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Starwood Capital Group if you’re majoring in finance or business, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable areas.
eBay
eBay is a leading online marketplace.
- Industry: Internet & Software
- Types of roles: Accountants, Business Analysts, Data Analysts, Software Developers
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at eBay if you’re majoring in accounting, business, or engineering, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable areas.
Insight Global
Insight Global is a national staffing and services company specializing in sourcing information for accounting, tech, and others.
- Industry: Human Resources
- Types of roles: Advertising and PR Managers, Human Resources, Sales Agents
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Insight Global if you’re majoring in accounting, PR, or computer science, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable areas.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a customer services platform and the world’s #1 CRM.
- Industry: Internet & Software
- Types of roles: Business Analysts, Database Architects, Product Managers, Writers/Authors
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for an internship at Salesforce if you’re majoring in engineering, English, or marketing, or if you’ve taken courses in applicable areas.
Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking and financial services company that offers services in investment management, assets, brokerage, and securities underwriting.
- Industry: Investment Banking
- Types of roles: Accountants, Business Analysts and Management Consultants, Investment Banking Analysts
- Recommended applicants: Consider applying for a Goldman Sachs internship if you’re majoring in business or accounting, or have taken applicable courses in management or accounting.
Tips and tricks to surviving your San Francisco internship
If you’re a transplant or even if you’ve called the Bay Area 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 San Francisco, think about the other parts of your internship journey.
Buy a Clipper Card
No matter where your apartment is located or where you’re commuting to, you’re almost always going to need public transportation to get there. Purchasing a Clipper Card is highly recommended to make reloading funds a breeze. The Clipper Card is good for both the Muni and BART.
If you’re frequently commuting and feeling savvy, go for the monthly pass! You’ll be able to mindlessly ride Muni and BART during busy commute hours and have swipes for extra errands on the weekends.
Don’t get (too) lost, download Transit
This app will help get you oriented to the city and find the right connections to wherever you’re going.
5 essential San Francisco restaurants to try during your internship
- San Tungs
- Marufuku Ramen
- Good Luck Dim Sum
- Nopalito
- Foreign Cinema
Things to experience during your time in San Francisco
- Golden Gate Park
- SFMOMA
- Castro Theater
- Treasure Island Flea Market
- Twin Peaks
- Baker Beach
3 neighborhoods to considering living in during your San Francisco internship
- Inner/Outer Richmond
- Inner/Outer Sunset
- Ingleside
How do I find an apartment in San Francisco?
Consider these resources to help your San Francisco apartment search:
- Apartments.com
- Craigslist
- Zillow
- DAHLIA
- Join a San Francisco Housing, Rooms, Apartments, and Sublets group on Facebook
Where to order food from in San Francisco
Finding an internship in San Francisco
How do I find the best paid internships in San Francisco?
When searching for a paid internship in San Francisco, 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 San Francisco are just a search away.
You can also research top companies in San Francisco by visiting our list of Handshake employers and typing San Francisco into the “Location” search bar. This way you’ll be able to see employers in your desired location. Once on the 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 San Francisco?
To find rentals, many interns use resources like Craigslist, Apartments.com, and other sites specifically for apartment hunting. If you have any connections in the city, it’s also always good to consider those first.
To start your hunt, try searching in popular neighborhoods like Inner or Outer Sunset, Inner or Outer Richmond, or Ingleside.
If rent is too high in the city, consider looking at some places in the East Bay or Daly City–just be mindful of how long your commute to the office will be.
How can an intern live in San Francisco?
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?
- Are you comfortable using the metro frequently?
- Will the food options available work for you?
How can I get an internship without experience in San Francisco?
If you don’t have previous experience and want to kickstart your first internship in San Francisco, don’t fret! There are definitely ways to land that role you’ve had your eyes on. San Francisco 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.