How club involvement can help land your next internship

by Jessi Cohen

Landing your first internship is tricky; even more so when you have no formal experience in your field of interest. This was my predicament the summer after my freshman year of college. I wanted to work in marketing, yet I had no idea where to begin. I applied to any and all positions that even slightly sounded interesting, throwing darts at a wall, hoping one would stick.

Looking back, I realized I had so much experience I didn’t consider to be valuable. My key to success? Leadership and club involvement. My advice for joining clubs comes in several parts:

Be passionate

Join an organization that you’re passionate about. For me, that was Relay for Life at Virginia Tech. Supporting and fundraising for the American Cancer Society to further develop cancer research and treatment methods is one of my core values, stemming from family experiences.

Develop confidence

Join an organization that will develop your confidence. It can be a professional organization, a group where you can become a leader or any place that makes you feel proud to be your authentic self. Coming into freshman year, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in business, but I knew Delta Sigma Pi – the premiere professional business fraternity on campus – would help shape me into a confident and professional young woman.

Step out of your comfort zone

As cliché as it sounds, step out of your comfort zone! Join a group that will teach you something new. After I quit competitive dance in high school due to injury, I was committed to staying active. My school had just started a crew team, and while I had no idea how to even kayak, I went to an interest meeting and instantly knew that this could be a place for me. While I had zero experience, I took a chance, and it paid off. I fell in love with the sport, the workout itself, the comradery and the leadership experience I gained.

Takeaways

By getting involved, meeting new people and finding new passions, you gain essential experiences and skills you wouldn’t otherwise have if you focused solely on academics.

I gained soft and interpersonal skills from pushing my boundaries and comfort zones in being a leader on my crew team. I built my self-confidence and started talking to all different kinds of people while sticking up for my self-worth by joining Delta Sigma Pi. I learned how to be agile in a team setting when we discussed fundraising techniques as a member of Relay for Life at Virginia Tech.

Go out into the world, be active in your community and meet new people. That experience could help you land your first internship!

To learn more about the Charles Aris internship program, visit charlesaris.com/intern-at-charles-aris.