Student Perspective: Landing a Paid Summer Internship

By: Robert R. Chiossi

Recently I was offered and accepted a paid summer internship with Princeton University.

I left the interview feeling as if I had nailed it and believed in my heart that I would be offered the position. This was due to the preparation I put in prior to the interview after I received some valuable advice. If you are like me, you get an awful lot of emails from the school and often don’t look at half of them. Get out of this habit, because this is one of the places where you found out about opportunities like jobs and internships.

Next, you need to act, fill out an application, and submit it. Use words like developed, utilized, growth, team, partnership when describing your attributes. This shows positivity and a capacity to grow in a position.

Before it comes time to interview you need to do your research; learn as much as you can about the company, position, program that you are applying for. Learn who is in charge, who is on the team, who you will be interviewing with. Come to the interview enthused, and informative. Employers will ask you to describe yourself, be sure to use specific qualities and experiences that prove why you are the perfect candidate for the job. Be informative but don’t go overboard; leave them knowing you and wanting a bit more. I interviewed for the Shakespeare and Company program, so when I was asked what I was reading and what I was writing I had a lot to say about classical literature and about some interesting pieces that I had been working on.

When they ask, and they will…what questions do you have for us. You most definitely do. Two questions that I used, which I think helped to seal the deal were…What goals would you expect me to achieve in this position? And…What are some of the qualities of successful candidates who have worked for you in the past?

Finally, either ask or acquire the email address of your interviewers. When the interview is completed, it is a fantastic idea to send everyone their individual personalized thank you note, telling them how much you appreciated the opportunity to interview for the position.

Good Luck!

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Robert R. Chiossi’s Bio: I am a junior at Rutgers Newark where I am majoring in journalism with a minor in creative writing. I currently write for the Rutgers Observer and have had several stories published that follow the mandatory vaccination procedures. I am thrilled to have been offered a Summer internship with Princeton University in the Shakespeare and Company program where  I will be working with a classical literature database. I received my associate’s after starting it in the prison system and graduated with a 4.0 GPA from ECC. I write novels and short stories under the pen name Daemon Manx and have recently been published in The Green Shoe Sanctuary magazine and am currently negotiating a contract for my first Novella. I aspire to work for a reputable newspaper or media platform after graduation and plan to continue to pursue my creative writing career as far as it will take me.

By Career Development Center
Career Development Center