Since just about all medium and large companies have a human resource department you should have no problem finding employment. Just think of all of the different companies out there and how each one will have a human resource department that may just be looking to fill some jobs. But why go for the internship when you could just go full force into a career in the human resource field?
It is simply because you want to make sure that this is the right career path for you. The last thing you would want to do is to take on a job and decide that you do not like it, quit, and leave a lot of people hanging. You can evaluate the work as an intern and be able to make a more educated decision on whether or not these types of jobs are the right fit for you.
How do you actually go about finding internship positions? The best place to start looking for internships is through your school's career placement office. The career counselors there will be able to direct you and guide you. The counselors may already have a few open jobs in mind when you arrive at his or her office.
The next thing that you could do is to contact the Society for Human Resource Management, but make sure that you are talking to your local chapter of the society. They will be able to give you a lot of information about various internships that are available. Ask if your chapter has a website that gives people the chance to post their resumes online. Search through their job openings and hope that you are contacted for jobs through the posting of your resume.
Once you have done those things, it is time to start dreaming big. If you could have your pick of where you would like to work, where would that be? Make a list of the various companies throughout your area that you would love to work for, even though you may not be aware of whether or not they have open internship jobs. After you are done making the list, simply call each company or visit their websites to inquire about open internship jobs. Something to keep in mind is that not all companies advertise their intern jobs in order to cut down on the resumes that come in. This does not mean that you cannot send in your resume and letter of interest for a job as an intern. You just never know where your persistence will take you.
After you have done all of your research and contacted as many companies as you possibly can, it is time to start preparing for the interview process. The more prepared you are, the better the chance is that you will be seriously considered. There are a lot of students out there who also want to work at the same companies as you. You have to make sure that you are looked upon as being better than the rest. This is the only way that you are going to be able to grab the jobs that you want. Create a resume that briefly describes your schooling, you work experience, and any volunteer experience that you have. Make sure that you do not forget to include a cover letter. The cover letter is meant to explain why you are interested in the internship job that they are offering. Explain why you want to eventually find yourself situated in a career of human resources.
Practice a pretend interview process. Have a friend or a family member run you through a series of questions that are likely to be asked in the interview. This will help you to mold your answers into something positive and professional. Sometimes just simply hearing your answers out loud will help to guide you in areas that could use a little improving. And lastly, make sure that you are giving yourself confidence. The confident person will always get the job over the insecure person, so do your best to realize that you are worthy of all of the jobs out there and that you will do an amazing job in the interview.
When it is all said and done you will be glad that you took the time to do all of the legwork needed to land yourself an internship. The experience that you will have with such a position will help you for the rest of your professional career. While you may have learned a lot in school, there is nothing better than working hands on in the job of your choice.
