1. Work for free with a company that you are interested in. This gives you an opportunity to gain work experience that you could add to your credentials. It is also a great way to land your first real job. So, don’t be afraid to complete your internship for free.
2. Apply at non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations usually have excellent internships available for enthusiastic hard workers who are willing to learn while working. If you have a particular interest within the non-profit sector, you should work as an intern to gain work experience and to learn more about the job.
3. Apply for internships that are related to your field. For example if you want to work with small children, it is best to apply at a daycare center, children’s summer programs or school.
4. Check with your school’s job bulletin board to see if they have internships available. Employers usually advertise internship positions through colleges and universities.
5. Talk to your school counselor or career counselor and have them assist you in your search for an internship position for the summer.
6. Let your family and friends know that you are looking to work as an intern for the summer vacation. This is a surefire way to get internships this summer.
7. Apply directly with the company that you are interested in working for. Let them know that you are available for the summer and are looking for an internship job. If they are not interested, you can convince them by letting them know the reasons why they should hire you and maybe even offer to work for free.
8. Put a resume and cover letter together. When applying for internship positions, make sure you leave your resume and cover letter with potential employers.
9. Follow-up with potential employers. After an interview, make sure you send a thank you letter and let them know that you are still interested in the internship position. Always do a follow-up after the interview by either calling or sending a thank you letter.
10. Be persistent. It may take you days, maybe weeks to land your first internship job, so do not get discourages and give up. Keep applying until someone hires you, but never ever give up.
11. Apply at several places and for different positions. Don’t limit yourself by only applying for a certain type of internship or with only one employer.

Hope these 11 surefire ways to get internship this summer helps. Best of luck to you.

DO’S

• Do make sure you arrive on time for your second job interview. If you are not sure how long it will take you to get to the interview, do a practice run the day before the interview to see how long it will take to get there. Remember to give yourself enough time to get to the interview at least 10 to 15 minutes early.
• Do take the time to prepare for your second job interview. A second interview means that it will be more involved. The questions might be more intense and there may be more than one interviewer. Do more research on the company and practice answering tougher interview questions. Prepare for as many kinds of interview questions as possible.
• Do dress the part. Make sure you dress appropriately for the job interview. Dress for career success. Research the company to see what attire is expected of its employees and what is appropriate for each interview.
• Do maintain eye contact when answering questions. However, be sure to acknowledge everyone else who is doing the interview also.
• Do be ready to ask questions during the interview. You will likely be asked; “Do you have any questions” so prepare to ask appropriate job-related questions. By asking questions, you are telling the interviewer that you are interested in the job and want to learn more about the company.

DON’TS

• Don’t neglect to greet other employees such as the receptionist or other potential co-workers. Being friendly with potential co-workers could also help you get the job.
• Don’t get upset if the interviewer asks the same questions as your first interview. This could be a test to compare answers or to see how you handle various situations.
• Don’t complain about your current boss or job if asked why you want to leave your current position.
• Don’t lie about anything. If you are asked a question you prefer not to answer, try not to lie about it. Be upfront and honest about everything because the interviewer probably already knows about the situation that is why you are being asked the question. This might just be a test to see how honest you are.
• Don’t forget to follow-up after the interview by sending a thank you letter to the interviewer.
• Don’t take the second job interview for granted. Do most of what you did on your first job interview and you should be just fine. Learn about preparing for a second job interview – the essential do’s and don’ts.

Good Luck Dear Friends!

1. Look for Non-Verbal Signs

Body language is frequently an excellent forecaster of how the job interview went. Pay attention to note taking, smiles, head-nods, laughs, and eye contact.

2. Asking About Salary Expectations

If towards the end of the job interview you are questioned about your salary expectations, take this as first step to success. You are surely making to their list of short listed candidates & they might contemplate to make a job offer.

3. You Are Asked For References

The only reason you will be asked for references is if they care about seeing you again. Background checks cost money and most companies are not into throwing it around on someone who struck out at the interview.

4. Staff Introductions

Another good indicator is when you are given a tour of the office and you are being introduced to the staff. If they want you to meet someone, it is for a reason.

5. You Are Asked How Much Notice You Need To Give Your Current Company

If you are asked how long it will take you to sever ties at the company you work for now then you should feel good about the interview process.

6. The Interviewer Is Answering Your Questions

Interviewers are not in the habit of wasting time answering a person questions unless they are interested in the person. Take this as a good signal you are having a good interview.

7. The Interview Went Past the Allotted Time Period

Again, unless you are eye candy an interviewer is not going to spend a lot of extra time with you. If you are so interesting that time is being spent on you the job interview is going very well.

8. You Are Offered A Job or Ask To Come Back For A Second Interview

This is so obvious that it is understood. How could you miss this sign that your job interview went well? An interviewer that asks you to comeback is impressed with you so this is a great sign.

Qualities of an Ideal Job Candidate

Employers, while interviewing fresh graduates or those with experience, look for qualities and decide on their ideal job candidates. Some of these qualities are:

1. Confidence – if they are confident, then it will get noticed. To add to this, if they are enthusiastic, then it adds to their credibility. It will display their personal drive as well as make the interviews know that they have the necessary content. Apart from these personal qualities, they should also have a positive attitude which indicates that they are productive as well.
2. Awareness of the industry – they should have knowledge about the industry which includes current trends and events along with changes expected in the near future. Their resume should indicate that they are updated and are eager to learn and grow within the industry.
3. Leadership qualities – They should be able to make decisions and take up responsibilities as well as lead in specific area through displaying leadership qualities. Even if they do not have thorough technical knowledge but are confident and competent to take initiative, they can impress the employers.
4. Education – though only education is not enough and experience also matters, they need to have credible college degree specific for the job. If they have more specialized college degrees, it would be more impressive. It would add value to their qualification if the college degree is backed by adequate experience.
5. Communication Skills – apart from an impressive resume with education qualification and experience, if they do not have communication skills, then they might not be able to be effective in their job interview. They should be straightforward and communicate intelligently along with being confident and well prepared for the job interview.
6. Sincerity – They should be sincere and honest while interacting with the prospective employers. There should be trust between both the parties and the job interview should be based on it. If they are fresh graduates and do not have enough experience, then sincerity and passion will help employers to take a positive decision.
7. Manners – They should have pleasing manners and be courteous. Their employer would analyze whether they are courteous and well mannered so that they can effectively interact with their business partners or clients.
8. Dress code – Though appearance is not the deciding factor, it does matter to a certain extent to build the first impression. Some employers, during job interviews, do judge candidates by their attire and appearance.
9. Open-mindedness – most of them show flexibility especially if they are fresh graduates and show willingness to adapt to new environments and take up responsibilities are appreciated during job interviews.

Although, during a job interview, employers do look at the resume, but if you have impressive qualities, then you have better chances of being employed.

The WOW factor – Create an amazing cover letter in 6 simple steps as follow:

1. At the top left hand corner state your name, address telephone number and date. Like this:

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS
TELEPHONE NUMBER
DATE

2. Below your personal information, include the employer’s or interviewer’s name, title, company’s name and address in the order listed below:

Mr./Mrs. EMPLOYER’S NAME
TITLE OF EMPLOYER/INTERVIEWER
COMPANY’S NAME
COMPANY’S ADDRESS

3. Then just below that, address the employer by, Dear Mr./Ms.s, and the employer’s name.

The opening of your cover letter should immediately tell the employer the job that you are applying for. This should be no more than 2-3 sentences. Also make sure you state the exact position you want to be considered for, why you are interested in the position or would like to work for the company. The opening paragraph is the most important, because it will determine if the employer call you for an interview or not. It will also get your resume noticed, which could also lead to an interview and possibly a position with the organization.

5. The next paragraph should include your qualifications for the position in question. Be sure to highlight your most relevant qualifications that specifically relate to the job and kind of work you’ll be doing for the company. Include your experiences, accomplishments, and the qualities that match the position in question. The second paragraph is usually the longest paragraph. However this can be broken down to two parts if it is too long.

6. End your cover letter in 2-3 sentences by referring the employer to your attached resume and requesting an opportunity for an interview. Don’t forget to thank the employer for reviewing your cover letter and resume. Then end the cover letter with:

SINCERELY,
YOUR NAME

Helpful points to Remember when Creating a Cover Letter

• Make sure you research the company.
• Learn about the position that you want to be considered for with the company.
• Design your cover letter to match the position and the qualifications that is required by the employer.
• Tailor your cover letter to match each position that you apply for.
• Make sure your cover letter is free from mistakes.
• Make your cover letter short and to the point.
• Sign your cover letter and attach it to your resume.

Friends, remember effective cover letter explain the reason for your interest in job opening & the organization itself. Make sure you use quality paper that matches your resume and clean envelopes. Always keep your letter short, simple & clear. Follow these simple tips & your resume will stand out from the crowd.
Good Luck