6 Tips to land your dream internship
This summer, Chime welcomed 17 interns to join our team, learn, make an impact, and become a part of our community of Chimers. We sat down with a few of them to learn how to land your dream internship — and get the most out of it.
First things first: introductions!
What an internship’s all about
Here’s a look at how our interns get the most out of their internships.
Jessica
“I consider my internship a success if I walk away having learned something new — both work skills, as well as about myself and the work I want to do. I also think it’s fulfilling when a company can see my contributions and the difference I’ve made through my work.”
Max
“On the technical side, I strive to learn new skills and network with other engineers and people on different teams. I also look to learn how a company works as an organization, makes decisions, and fits within its industry.”
Aaryan
“An internship is all about networking and getting to know more people in an industry. At university, I mostly interact with faculty and students, so it’s great to meet people working in the field.”
Emily
“Internships are a great opportunity to learn and figure out exactly what I want to do in my career. For example, this summer, I came into my internship to learn more about marketing, so I’ve networked with Chimers on that team and set up one-on-ones to learn about what they do.”
How to land your dream internship
We asked our interns for advice on how to secure the internship you want next summer. Here’s their advice!
- Put the best version of yourself forward — polish your LinkedIn profile, refresh your resume, and prepare for your interviews and calls. Tailor your resume to the roles you’re applying for — show the company that you’re interested and invested!
- If you’re afraid of applying to a position without the required experience, apply anyway. If you have basic communication and collaboration skills, you can learn other skills as you go. Not meeting all of a job’s requirements should never stop you from applying — an internship is all about learning, after all!
- Apply to roles early to limit your stress and find the internship you want before it gets filled!
- Network — a lot. Go to events, research companies or people you admire, and connect with them on LinkedIn. Maintain relationships with folks you’ve met over time — you never know what opportunities someone might have for you!
- Make use of hiring platforms like Handshake to find and apply for internships.
- Keep an open mind: Just because a role isn’t exactly what you were looking for doesn’t mean you won’t learn a ton or discover a field you love. Even if an internship doesn’t match your resume or degree, it could be the right fit for you.
How to get the most out of your internship
The number one piece of advice from our interns this summer on how to get the most out of your internship was to learn something!
Aaryan
“Be willing to learn, ask questions, and explore things outside of your comfort zone. Maximize learning.”
Max
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if you think they might be stupid — those are important, too. Asking those more knowledgeable than yourself for help or information is critical to learning throughout your internship.”
This summer, Chime’s interns are also making the most of their time at Chime by going on outings, presenting their work to their teams, and enjoying our new office.
“Our internship has been a lot more hands-on now that we’re all able to be in the office together, and something that many of us haven’t experienced due to the pandemic,” says Jessica. “It’s nice to meet in person, take on more projects, and experience the work culture at Chime in this way.”
What advice do you have for interns looking to land — and make the most of — their dream internship? Let us know in the comments!
