How I Landed A Summer Internship While In High School

Setting yourself apart in the business world can be challenging, but one of the best ways to start is to take advantage of as many opportunities as you can as early as possible. As an incoming high school senior, I wanted to set myself apart in the stressful process that is modern college admissions. I knew I was interested in the fields of business and communications, so I felt the best way to differentiate myself was by securing a summer internship to learn more about the industry and amplify my resume for admissions and other jobs down the line. I also felt that an internship would help me to make insights into what I enjoy doing career-wise and what company culture is like, experiences many others don’t get until they enter college or their professional lives. 

Research.

The first step was to talk to teachers, family members, and other professionals I knew personally to identify companies that fit what I wanted and was interested in. I gathered as many emails and phone numbers as possible and reached out through email, phone, or online forms (which are not to be underestimated). 

Reach Out.

I started reaching out by cold emailing companies I had found, introducing myself, stating how I found them, my school, and the prior experiences I had participated in that qualified me for an internship; then I played the waiting game. 

Followup!

My first few endeavors struck out as some companies said they would not take high school-age interns and others ghosted me. However, when I believed I had been ghosted again I decided to follow up on my email out of sheer curiosity. I was happy to find out my previous email had not gone through and the company was still interested, proving just how important following up can be. While the company was not looking for an intern they were happy to take me on and everything worked out for the best. 

Benefits of Taking on a High School Intern.

As a high school student, I am willing to jump into any role possible and just want to gain as much experience as I can, while taking on a high school intern may sound daunting to some companies, like those who rejected me, it can be a great asset to both grow your own company and help a young student gain invaluable assets when starting their career.

Conclusion

You may never know what opportunities will present themselves if you don’t put yourself out there and take a leap of faith. Experiences like internships early on in your career will give you invaluable skills and knowledge to put you ahead of the competition when moving on to the next stage of life.