A key advantage of living in the age of remote work is the access to internships around the globe. On one hand, students and recent graduates will no longer be limited by the country they live in. On the other hand, applicants will be competing against candidates from around the world. We have put together these 5 easy tips on how to get a remote internship during COVID-19, to help you snag your dream position.
1. Define your ideal remote internship
It might seem like your best shot during this time is to apply to any and all available roles. The truth is that aimlessly searching for open positions can hurt you more than it can help you.
The first step when looking for internships is to reflect on the kind of work you are interested in doing. Ask yourself some broad questions. What skills am I hoping to develop? What excites me? Where do I see myself making an impact?
The objective is to use your answers to guide your search. Knowing what you are looking for can help you identify key employers in your field. Applicants that don’t invest in this kind of preparation often feel overwhelmed by the many possibilities open to them.
2. Be open to different remote internship opportunities
While finding your focus is important, remember to manage your expectations. Don’t expect to snag the job of your dreams on the first try. If you are keen on working in Government and Politics, for example, you might want to look at nonprofit organizations and startups with a social impact focus. Those interested in Journalism might want to look into Marketing, Social Media and Human Resources. Being aware of your interests is just as important as being open to opportunities outside of your comfort zones.
3. Keep track of who’s hosting remote interns during COVID-19
Depending on your field, organizations won’t always advertise open internship positions in the same place. We recommend staying on top of key websites, including Linkedin (follow relevant hashtags such as #hiring), Glassdoor, and Handshake (they put together this list of 500 Companies Hiring Students Right Now). You will find that most internship positions around the world are currently offering remote positions.
4. Be efficient while applying for your remote internship
Tailoring your cover letter and CV/resume to the position you are applying for is incredibly important. We recommend keeping a master document with written out texts for the main components of a cover letter. This might include written descriptions of major relevant experiences you have had thus far in your career, skills that are most relevant to your career field, and most importantly, texts detailing your motivation for the different fields in which you’re interested.
Having a master document will allow you to pick and choose relevant components, and adjust it to the positions you are applying to. You will be saving on lots of time by not writing a completely new letter for every application, and will consequently be more successful in your search. Finally, we advise you to save any new writing you do during the application process. It will come in handy when applying for a similar position in the future.
5. Take advantage of social media to secure your remote internship
The term “Personal Branding” has gained ground in recent years, becoming more relevant than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Companies that have transitioned to remote work are no longer restricted to local talent. As a result, the applicant pool has grown considerably, making coveted positions highly competitive.
Branding is no longer reserved for entrepreneurs, employers and companies. As Social Media takes on an increasingly significant role in the recruiting process, personal branding has become a tool to help applicants (for internships and jobs) differentiate themselves from the competition.
Whether you mean to or not, if you have a digital presence you have a personal brand. The key to harnessing your digital presence is to act with intention and purpose. Now is the time to review your feed, privacy settings, and profiles across your social media accounts. Updating your profile picture on Facebook, and setting aside a little bit of time to perfect your LinkedIn profile can go a long way.
Keep your medium and your audience in mind throughout this process. The content that one posts on Twitter and Facebook are different from a LinkedIn post, but any of the three could be viewed by your recruiter. Your profiles should be consistent, create a sense of trust and intimacy between you and your employers, and should most importantly come across as genuine. Remember that social media should feel like an opportunity, instead of a burden.
Haven’t secured a remote internship yet? We provide remote internships in all fields with leading organizations across the globe. Learn more.
Sources:
Photos by:
