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This one will be a few tips on what to expect for the inevitable engineering internship because if you haven’t found out yet, to finish your engineering degree, you have to complete 800 internship hours.
Yes, that’s a big number. Have a seat, take some deep breaths and take a sip of water. We’ll get through this and, lucky for us civil engineers, there are SO MANY civil engineering companies. That means more internship positions. So…. I’ll get one….right? Well, with the following four quick tips- maybe 😉
🦺 Tip 1: Apply to anything and everything
I said it in the title, and I’ll say it again: apply to everything. Everything, of course, being a company involving some discipline of civil engineering that you would consider working at. Don’t just apply to the large, well-known companies, but apply to the smaller ones too- even if they don’t have a formal internship program- just send them a cheeky email with your cover letter and CV.
Why apply to so many companies if you are only going to intern at one, though? Well, if you apply to one company and get that one internship position- congrats! That’s a real pat-on-the-back moment. However, if you don’t get that internship…well… I reckon it’s worth spending a bit longer applying to a few more companies for the peace of mind, better chances, and confidence in the application process you’ll get.
🦺 Tip 2: WHEN you apply matters- I know it’s obvious, but hear me out
The due date of applications is not necessarily the due date you should care about. Many engineering companies have a “rolling” application process. This means that they’ll review applications as the applications roll in (sorry, it’s the obligatory blog pun), so by the time you submit your application at 11:59 pm on the due date, many of the spots have been filled already. Apply early- put the odds in your favour.
🦺 Tip 3: Preparation isn’t just a cover letter and CV
I know you can’t apply without a CV or a cover letter (trust me on that one), but I would also really recommend going to some industry events as part of your prep. Going to the odd speaker night or speed interview won’t just give you insights into what the industry is looking for, but it can also help build your confidence in applying. Another big plus- there’s also usually free food on the fancier side.
🦺 Tip 4: On Rejection
If you get rejected from an internship programme- that’s totally fine and normal! Don’t put it all on yourself. Rather, see what you can learn from it. Maybe your cover letter was a little long, or maybe you misspelt the company name in your application (I’m not joking- it happens). There are so many factors in determining who gets which internship, and often, it is out of your hands. The key is to learn what you can and to move on to the next application- the slog continues.
Outro, Outro, Outro
Thanks for reading this far – here’s an Ellie pic (what you actually came for 😉
See you in the next one!
Ankia :))