Yes! It’s true! We know this is happening for many of you and hope that you’re working with a career coach to make your life and process easier.
Let’s look at some facts. Over the past four summers, this is what Duke engineering master’s students reported about their internship acceptance timeline. Now that it’s March, it’s time to be even more strategic while you work hard to secure your offer.
Here are a few recommendations:
Follow Up and Reach Out
If you’ve been searching for a while, be sure to check in and follow up with the people and companies you’ve interacted with so far. It’s a good time to write an update message to confirm that you’re still interested and searching. For example, it’s possible that a big company has an internship to fill quickly after someone else accepted an offer and later changed their mind.
Smaller organizations may just be starting their hiring now, and would appreciate your introduction! ChatGPT suggested this prompt to source options you haven’t heard of: “Generate a list of small to mid-sized companies, startups, and research-focused firms specializing in [engineering focus area] within [geographic region]. Exclude large corporations and commonly known employers.”. You can then ask it for “level 2” and “level 3” responses to see if the subsequent lists offer better results. A tool like Crunchbase can also be helpful in identifying companies you may not be aware of (Get a demo from a coach, if interested. Coach Online Drop-In Hours are a great way to catch us every weekday classes are in session.)
Troubleshoot your Process
Review your strategy, application documents, correspondence, interview skills, and more. This is the perfect time to get curious about the changes that are likely to be the most effective because you want to make them quickly. You can make an appointment with a coach using Handshake and this internship guide will help you to find any gaps or steps in the search that pertain to you, individually.
Mix it Up
What tools are you using? Are there better approaches? Here are a few recommendations:
- Are you familiar with the Job Insider Career Masterclasses or Two Hour Job Search? These tutorials will revolutionize your approach! The time you invest learning will be gained right back in the productivity you gain.
- If you haven’t been using Ripplematch, WayUp, WellFound, or Handshake, see if they’re a good match for your internship interests.
- Run your resume through Quinncia or JobScan Premium, the AI feedback tools we purchase for engineering master’s students. This tech is built on the same applicant tracking systems that assess your online application.
Keep Going
You can do it, and feeling the fatigue is real! This article can help you if you’re losing momentum and want tips for staying positive and motivated. Be sure you’re in touch with your department for added support and to keep the lines of communication open. This is important especially if the internship is a requirement.
To conclude, here are two more actions you can take to keep your search going:
- Research Duke labs & faculty ventures, send an introductory email if their projects align closely with your interests and skills.
- Follow the advice in this article from The Muse, a trusted source for career information. It suggests some internship alternatives for making money, getting experience, and continued learning. There may be options that you haven’t considered. Note: This 2020 article contains a few links that are no longer in operation. We continue to keep it in this post to spark your own thoughts about structuring your summer.
