7 Tips for Landing Your Dream Internship/Job with Personal Stories from GW Students & Alumni
Written by: AMA GWU
1. Persistence is Key
Emma Sergei, a senior pursuing a BS in Marketing and a minor in Graphic Design, recently interned at Fannie Mae, a leading mortgage financing company. At Fannie Mae, Emma was a social media intern, where she worked on projects related to social media analytics and content strategy. For Emma, landing this internship was no easy feat. She applied to over 50 internships before landing an interview. After her first interview, she received great feedback but had not heard anything from them for weeks. After consistently reaching out to her recruiter, she was finally offered the position! Her persistence, demonstration of interest, and passion for the company led her to a successful internship with Fannie Mae.
2. Determine What’s Important to You
Sophia Carbone graduated with a BS in Marketing in May 2024. During her time at GW, she landed a role with Dunkin’ as a Brand Marketing Intern. As a Brand Marketing Intern, Sophia worked on projects related to developing a marketing plan and competitor analysis. While interning, the CMO told her to think about what is most important to her, whether that be location, company, or specific role. The idea is to prioritize what is important and be flexible with the other factors. For example, if Dunkin’ is your dream company, be flexible in the role. For the most part, you can move around a company relatively easily, but getting your foot in the door is the hardest part.
3. Leverage the Power of Networking
Anastasia D’Agostini graduated in May 2024 with a BA in Organizational Sciences and minors in Marketing and Communications. Upon graduation, Anastasia landed a job with L’Oréal as a Marketing Trainee, a two-year rotational program in the beauty tech industry. Anastasia’s advice to students going through the recruitment process is to “be your own advocate and stay open to connecting with others. Never hesitate to pursue what you believe in.” A great way to network is through LinkedIn, in classes, or through other organizations and events on campus. Through LinkedIn, you can share your personal experiences and learn from others! This is a great way to demonstrate your passion and develop your personal brand.
4. Tailor Your Resume to the Job
Ornella Libi graduated with a BS in Marketing in May 2024. During her time at GW, she landed an internship as a Sales intern with Dole Food Company, and upon graduation, she began working for Nestlé through their Marketing Development Program, a three-year rotational program where one gains experience in project management, consumer and marketplace insights, and brand management. Ornella’s advice is “to tailor your résumé to match the job description.” When Ornella went through the process herself, she carefully aligned her experience and skills with what the employer was looking for, using language and terminology similar to that found in the job posting. By doing this, she was able to highlight her qualifications and demonstrate that she was a good fit for the role.
5. Do Your Research
Florence Tian, a senior pursuing a BS in Marketing, landed an internship as a Marketing Intern for CBS News, where she spent the summer working with Paramount. Florence’s advice to students going through the recruitment process is to do research on the company before interviewing and try not to be too nervous! She said, “the more relaxed I was, the better I could answer the questions and connect with the interviewer.” By preparing thoroughly, practicing behavioral-based interview questions, and understanding the company’s initiatives, you can feel relaxed and ready to answer any question that comes your way!
6. Prepare Thoroughly for Interviews
Emily Middleton graduated in May 2024 with a BS in Marketing. During her time at GW, she spent a summer at Deloitte as a SHINE intern and recently accepted a return offer as a SHINE Associate. During her internship, Emily worked on projects related to the Internal Communications and Marketing Excellence Operations team. Emily’s advice is to “Take interview prep very seriously! Really take the time to understand the firm and the program’s priorities and try to tailor yourself to fit what they are looking for. This means personal branding is everything! Understand what makes you unique and leverage it!”
7. Be Authentic & Trust Yourself
Khushi Chabria, a senior pursuing a BS in Marketing, recently spent the summer interning as a Marketing Technologist at Procter & Gamble, a consumer product goods company with brands, such as Tide and Dawn. Her advice is to be authentic throughout your process. “The recruitment process is long and challenging, but to find something that is the best fit for you, you need to be honest about your skills and interests.” She has seen that passion comes across best when you tell a story about your experience. While doing this, you should highlight what makes you unique, as well as connect it to the role. Lastly, many people feel they are unqualified if they do not have all the skills listed on the job posting. That is ok! Based on her overall experience throughout the recruitment process, she believes that “recruiters want to see that you are open to learning because most of what you do, you will learn on the job. Trust yourself and be authentic.”