how not to get an internship - sabo pr

8/16/2019 How Not to Get an Internship - Sabo PR

1/4

FEB 15

How not to get an internshipI routinely receive resumes and cover notes from college students seeking

internships. As a former professor, I recognize the value that practical, on-the-job

experience provides graduating seniors with the proverbial “leg up” when they

get ready for the job market.

As a business owner, though, I now realize how much planning and effort go into

creating a worthwhile internship. As a small business owner, I need to be

particularly choosy when evaluating prospective interns to make sure they have

the basics nailed so we don’t have to spend time on AP Style or the inverted

pyramid.

Last week, I received a cover note that was stunning in the depth, breadth and

sheer number of mistakes. I sent a note back, gently suggesting that the student

would benefit from proofreading his introduction before sending it to anyone

else. He did – and resent his cover note, which had a spate of new and improved

errors.

I responded that my firm wasn’t going to be a good fit for him. The exchange got

me to thinking a bit more deeply about how not to get an internship, though. In

the spirit of the season we are entering, where earnest college students deluge

Buzz


2/4

firms like ours, I thought I would share the following tips for ensuring someone

won’t double click on your resume.

1. Write a generic cover letter. I know that it’s difficult and time-consuming to

tailor a cover note for each internship you’re applying for. But you would do

well to spend a few extra minutes on the ones you really, really want to have

to create something unique. At the very least, skip the “To whom it mayconcern” and other generics.

2. Sprinkle your introduction with typos and grammar mistakes. The

introductory sentence to this recent cover note had a comma splice,

misplaced and missing punctuation and a head-turning phrase that defied

parallel structure. It went on to violate many basic tenets of grammar. If

you’re trying to get a job in a communications firm, even one mistake is too

many. More than a dozen in three paragraphs? Not a chance.

3. Fail to look at our website. This internship-seeker assured me that he had“thoroughly researched” our company and that his skills align closely with

our focus on “creative, results driven marketing campaigns, advertising

campaigns, branding.” We don’t really do any of those things. Did he even

look at our site? Does he even know what we do?

4. Add a healthy dose of jargon. The cover note assured me he could

“effectively use the Nielsen Prizm segmenting.” What? Have I been missing

something all these years? A quick Google search tells me it is market

segmentation tool – but we don’t really do marketing.5. Ask to do work for which you are not qualified. The student thought he

would be well suited for project or account management jobs with us. But

we don’t have positions that focus solely on account management – over

the years, I have found that clients don’t like being “managed.” They do like

when we write attention-getting media pitches, solid press releases or

compelling social media posts. That’s where an intern would want to start

with us: writing well.

6. Request an immediate interview. The cover note closed by saying that helooked “forward to being interviewed at your earliest convenience.” That

seemed a bit rushed to me, and more than a little presumptuous. I’d

recommend offering a portfolio of some type first, then following up to see

if there’s interest.

7. Send your resume as a Word doc. Too many viruses out there. PDFs are

always preferable.


3/4

[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])

4 THOUGHTS ON “HOW NOT TO GET AN INTERNSHIP”

February 15, 2016 at 2:56 pm (http://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-

get-an-internship/#comment-11)

I would add

8. Don’t send a thank you note. In my experience, the quickest way to get

your resume into the recycle bin is to neglect sending a thank you note

either by email or snail mail. If someone takes time out of his or her day to

talk with you, learn about you and perhaps help guide you toward your

future, a thank you note is not only a professional courtesy, it is kind.

REPLY (HTTP://SABO-PR.COM/2016/02/15/HOW-NOT-TO-GET-AN-INTERNSHIP/?

REPLYTOCOM=11#RESPOND)

February 15, 2016 at 3:19 pm (http://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-

not-to-get-an-internship/#comment-12)

Lyndsie, a great addition. If there are two more suggestions, we can

make this into a Top 10 list.



February 22, 2016 at 8:58 am (http://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-

get-an-internship/#comment-13)

9. Be sloppy with your cover letter template. It seems obvious, but I’ve

gotten cover letters that reference the wrong company, location, or

position. And if you’re sending out loads of cover letters with multiple

18 3

Lyndsie Post

rian Jon Greenleaf

en Frey

http://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-get-an-internship/?replytocom=12#respondhttp://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-get-an-internship/?replytocom=11#respondmailto:[email protected]


4/4

individualized references, it can be easy to miss one, but it also makes it

obvious you’re casting a wide net (and have low attention to detail).



February 22, 2016 at 9:37 am (http://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-get-an-internship/#comment-14)

We agree entirely that it’s critical to pay attention to detail,

particularly when working with a templated letter.



LEAVE A REPLY

Enter your comment here...

Erin Nemastil

401 Hall Street SW, Suite 463 • Grand Rapids, MI • 49503

Email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Phone: 1-616-389-0845 (tel:1-616-389-0845")

© 2016 Sabo PR
mailto:[email protected]://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-get-an-internship/?replytocom=14#respondhttp://sabo-pr.com/2016/02/15/how-not-to-get-an-internship/?replytocom=13#respond

how not to get an internship - sabo pr

Documents