Securing summer internships as international students is a great way to kickstart your new career abroad. It provides an excellent opportunity to gain relevant skills through local hands-on work experience, explore your field of study, and build a professional network. After completing your internship, the employer might hire you for a full-time role at their company. While exciting, finding the right summer internship as an international student can be overwhelming due to the application process, visa regulations, and cultural nuances. In this article, we will outline practical steps to help you score a summer internship.
Pro Tips to Score a Summer Internship
Start Your Research Early
It is always good to start researching the different employers in your field offering summer internships in advance. It is important to research early as many internships have deadlines that close before the summer starts. You can start your research by exploring platforms such as LinkedIn and Indeed. Attend career fairs your university is hosting as these events are excellent opportunities to meet recruiters directly early on. There might be some country-specific job platforms that you can explore as well. For example, in New Zealand, New Zealand Internships is one of the platforms international students use to find out about different internship opportunities available in real-time.
Leverage Your University’s Career Centre and Your Existing Network
Most international universities have a career center that offers free-of-cost services to all its students. Your university’s career center can help you find openings, connect you with alumni in the same field, interview prep, and review your CV or cover letter. Additionally, remember to leverage your existing network of classmates and lecturers as they might be able to connect you with the right people in the industry. Once you find a relevant network at your target place of work, do not hesitate to ask them questions or ask them for a coffee chat when possible to develop authentic connections and learn more about the company, their role and potential internship opportunities.
How to secure a summer internship
Tailor Your Internship Application
Ensure that you tailor each application according to the requirements of the summer internship. Make sure to include transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, adaptability etc. that you built throughout your studies, prior internships or volunteering experiences. Highlight your unique background as an international student in the application and how that would add to the company’s goals, vision and culture.
Interview Prep
Develop an understanding of the different behavioral, role or industry-specific questions that the interviewee might ask and practice with a peer or career counsellor. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to frame your answers. The STAR method is a globally-recognized framework that helps convey clarity and impact in interviews. At the end of the interview, make sure you are asking the interviewer any questions that you might have – this shows your genuine interest and enthusiasm for the role.
Seek Feedback
It is important to acknowledge that it may take you multiple tries to land the right summer internship, so do not feel disheartened if your first shot isn’t a success. Remember to follow up and if unsuccessful in your application to ask for feedback from the employers. This will help you improve your future applications, increasing your chances of success.
Overcoming Challenges as an International Student
Visa Requirements
Alongside researching and applying for summer internships, it is important to check your visa regulations to be aware of your work rights as an international student. You can do so by looking up the country’s official government website breaking down international student status. For example, if you are an international student studying in Australia, you would go to the Study with Australia website and look at the Work in Australia section. You can also confirm the same from your university’s international office.
Cultural Differences
Be mindful of cultural differences and pay attention to professional etiquette, communication styles, and team dynamics. Ask your classmates, lecturers and career counsellors for tips to ease yourself into the internship application process and what to expect from a summer internship. Seeking support will also help to ease your transition into a professional corporate environment and make a good first impression.
Concluding Remarks
Scoring summer internships as an international student may require extra effort and time but the benefits are invaluable. By starting early, reaching out to the right people, tailoring your application, showcasing your unique experiences and addressing potential challenges proactively, you can secure a role that aligns with your career aspirations. Whether you choose a paid or unpaid opportunity, summer internships open doors for career growth, making them a stepping stone in your professional journey abroad.
