Getting an Internship or Co-op Using Social Media - CareerEnlightenment.com

Post oftenOnce your accounts are clean and free of any potentially offensive content, post away! Employers want to see that you are engaged and interesting so posting news or snaps of your volunteer work or other interests on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter is a very good idea.Ask for referralsSocial media makes it super easy to see who is connected to whom. Use that to your advantage by scouring your connections to see how they might help in your quest for an internship. If your college roommate’s mother used to work for Intel and you’ve applied for internship there, get in touch with her to ask for a referral or a letter of recommendation. Internships are a competitive business so use any and all of your connections to leverage opportunities.Use an online connection serviceWebsites like WayUp are platforms that connect college students (or recent grads) and companies for internships and other opportunities. Just fill out an online form with information about your education and e xperience, and you’ll gain access to a list of internships across the country that you qualify for, and you can even apply for them online.Do your researchOnce you get an interview for an internship, track down the names and titles of the people who’ll be interviewing you to gain insight into their backgrounds and connections. If it’s not provided upfront, ask the person arranging the interview for a list of who you’ll be speaking with before your appointment.