Unlike most of my classmates, I did not have an internship ready for the summer by

spring quarter, and not for lack of trying. I began applying to internships at the beginning of 2018, hoping to secure an internship between my junior and senior year. I had a few interviews that did not pan out. I stopped applying in Spring 2018 and began again in Autumn. Flash forward, it is April of 2019, I am supposed to be graduating, and still had no idea where I would be in Summer. It was not until June 5th that I was finally offered an internship.

For me, managing the job search was difficult, it was discouraging and made me believe that no one wanted me. I exhausted all my resources, receiving 15 emails a day from 5 different job sites, including Indeed, Glassdoor, Neuvoo, Careerbuilder, etc. The internship I decided to take, I found on Portal (DEOHS website). The entire search was less than ideal and not nearly what I expected.

However, in my struggle to find an internship, I gained a lot of experience: I am less afraid of

first interviews, I can write a cover letter in a timely manner, I can tailor my resume as needed,

and I appreciate my internship opportunity more.

To future students, my internship search was not the common experience shared by most students. Many will find an internship they enjoy and not have to worry. However, for the

few unlucky souls, like me, this can be extremely stressful and scary. I urge you to start early

and continue to apply even if it seems nothing is working. Another tip is to seek help, let people

know you are looking for an internship, and cold email people in a place you would like to work. Also, look to Hayley and Tania for assistance, they are there for a reason. Ultimately, for me, things worked out really well, but Brisia from three months ago wouldn’t have thought so. Getting an internship, like most anything in life, is not easy and requires a lot of hard work and dedication.