Avoid These 5 Common Internship Application Mistakes

The internship or job application is your first encounter with the employer and if you want to get to the second one you need to give your best when creating your application. Applications ask for numerous information such as your educational background, previous work history, special skills, and list of references. That is why you can easily get careless and make mistakes which can cost you the desired internship.
Distinguish yourself from others and ensure that you will get that call or an email asking about what time suits you for the interview. Just by paying attention to these 5 common mistakes most applicants make, you can drastically increase your chances to be noticed.

1. Sending Out Generic CVsr
Applying for internships can be a tiring process so perfecting one CV and sending it out to all employers can seem like a good idea. However, it’s not.
Recruiters receive up to hundreds of applications to one single vacancy. They mostly only scan the resumes at first and then decide which ones they want to read more in depth. You won’t get far ahead if you don’t find a way to stand out.
Achieve that by really targeting the company and explain why you’re applying specifically to them and how can you contribute to the company. Show them that you have been diligent and did your homework on getting the information about their field of business.
If you are applying to countless internships you can simply create 2 to 3 different CVs that correspond to sectors to which you have been applying. They will still be customized and you’ll have a better chance to get to the next stage.

2. Not Checking for Spelling Mistakes and Errorsr
After you have written your internship application you may think that your work is done but then think again. Pet peeve number one to all employers is badly written application.
If you can’t commit to proofreading, how can you commit to more complex tasks?
In such a competitive job market, your resume, cover letter, and internship application email must be pristine.
Before you send out your documents just make sure you covered these three basic editing steps:
1. Read your documents out loud
It can seem trivial, but reading what you have written out loud will provide you with a different perspective.
2. Run them through a spell checker or proofreading toolr
You can find various free tools such as Grammarly, Hemingway, and Ginger.
3. Have an extra set of eyes take a look at your documentsr
After you have gone through your documents a million times it will be hard to notice your own mistakes so another set of eyes will notice what you have missed.

3. Sending a Blank Internship Application Emailr
When you’re sending an email applying for an internship, make sure that you include a content in the body of the email. While some find that attaching a cover letter is enough that will only make you seem uninterested.
Rather than attaching a separate cover letter, put your cover letter in the body of the email and attach your resume only. It will make your employer’s job easier.
On the other hand, if the instructions state to attach your resume and your cover letter, then write a paragraph in the body of the email that explains who you are, what you are applying for, and what documents you are attaching.

4. Applying to Only a Few Internshipsr
It’s nice to have your priorities straight and know exactly what you want but you need to be aware of how competitive the market is.
Keep your options open and apply to as many internships as possible. This doesn’t mean that you should apply to any internship that comes your way or only look for easy internships to apply for. Applying to internships that you are actually not interested in will just be a waste of time.
Decide which type of internship you want or in which area you want to gain experience in and apply for all internship opportunities that match that criteria. You need to be strategic and not limit yourself to one or two internship applications.

5. Not Following the Instructionsr
Instructions are stated for a reason. In case employers request a specific form of application, it will seem disrespectful if you don’t follow what they have asked for.
“If the internship description asks for work samples in PDF format, don't send your entire portfolio,” says Laura M. Keegan, Internship Program Manager at Pratt Institute. She also recommends that you send work samples that are adequate representations of your skills in comparison with the internship job description and position needs.
Carefully read through the instructions and pay attention to details such as what should you put in the subject line, what should the body of the email consist of, how to form your cover letter, and which important information should your resume include.

Some Final Thoughtsr
There’s no denying that competition for internships is tough but it is all about the right approach and taking the process of application seriously. There is no need for worries if you dedicate your time to the preparation of the application.

If you want to avoid ending up in the “no” pile, follow the above-mentioned tips and avoid these 5 mistakes when applying for your next internship. With just a few tricks you can get on an employer’s good side and land the internship you have always wanted.