What do you do if your internship experience isn't impressing employers during job interviews?

In my experience, feflecting on your internship is like polishing a gemstone. At first glance, it might seem unassuming (an unpolished internship experience), but with deep reflection (polishing), you can reveal the hidden value (developed skills, projects, relationships). One thing I've found helpful is to reflect with a purpose and identify the specific skills, projects, and relationships you've learnt that align with the requirements of the job you're applying for. By crafting a clear narrative that connects your internship experience to the desired role, you'll impress potential employers and change their perception!

The ability to reflect and articulate the value of an internship, regardless of its prestige, is a critical skill in today's job market. This approach not only demonstrates adaptability but also showcases a proactive mindset in leveraging every experience for growth. Employers value candidates who can extract lessons and skills from any situation and apply them to new challenges.

Shift the focus from the specifics of the internship to the skills you honed. Did you learn new programming languages? Master project management tools? Highlight those skills in your resume and interview discussions. Connect them to the specific job requirements and demonstrate their applicability to the role.

Focus specifically on transferable or enduring skills. Think about how what you learned and utilized makes you a well-rounded, valuable professional. Look to the qualifications section of the job description and target your responses and the skills you highlight to those specific ones that the employer has already stated they want in an employee.

Don't be afraid to ask for feedback after an interview. Reach out to the interviewer and politely request insights into areas where you could improve. This demonstrates your desire to learn and grow, which is a valuable quality for any employer.

Expand your professional network. Connect with mentors, industry professionals, or former internship colleagues. They might have insights into job opportunities or provide valuable interview preparation tips. A strong network can open doors and expose you to potential employers who might be more receptive to your internship experiences.

If an internship experience did not produce the skills you were hoping to develop--lean into your coursework, research projects, and service learning opportunities. All experiential learning has the capacity to help you develop not only the skills needed to be workforce ready but also provide experience in a variety of settings. This adaptability will be key to clearly communicate with employers the value you can add to their teams and organizations. Demonstrating a commitment to lifelong learning will make a strong impression of the type of professional you will be.

An interview is so much more than just one piece of your experience showing why you’re a great candidate. So if someone isn’t impressed with an internship don’t focus there. Your passion, energy, connection and (most importantly) how you’re going to make their life better need to shine through! And remember the smart questions you ask should be a reflection of why you’d be a great fit! Connect with me if you want to know about more how to rock the interview.