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Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Intern Queen Spills Her Secrets on How to Get Ahead

COURTESY LAUREN BERGER Lauren Berger, CEO of her website InternQueen.com, believes that internships are essential for all students as part of their future career pursuits.
COURTESY LAUREN BERGER
Lauren Berger, CEO of her website InternQueen.com, believes that internships are essential for all students as part of their future career pursuits.

Recently featured in publications such as The New York Times, Teen Vogue and LA Weekly, Lauren Berger has become a big name in the internship industry. The CEO of her own website, InternQueen.com, she recently authored the National Campus Bestseller, “All Work, No Pay: Finding An Internship, Building Your Resume, Making Connections and Gaining Job Experience.” Her website, which she founded in September of 2009 when she was 24, offers a variety of internship opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students, while her blog is a great resource for strategies about job searching and interview tips, cover letter and resume building tips.

 

Would you share a little about your personal internship experience?

I had 15 internships when I was in college. Typically, college students aim for two to three internships by the time they graduate. But every experience I had taught me so much about what I wanted to do, both personally and professionally, that I just wanted more and more opportunities.

 

When did you start pursuing internships?

I started really early. The spring semester during my freshman year in college.

 

Was InternQueen an idea that you started in college?

I wish someone had told me in college that I could start my own website and that I could run my own business. But no one ever said that to me. I had the idea in college, but I don’t think I ever understood that this was something that I could really make into a career. So, in college, I started blogging and creating content about internships. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with the site until a few years after graduation and after I had my first real job.

 

What was your main inspiration for starting InternQueen?

My main inspiration was the fact that I had all these great opportunities and I looked around only to find none of my friends were interning. Nobody knew where to get an internship. There was no one there to help them [in] figuring out what to apply for, how to apply or take them through the process and so that’s when I came up with the idea of starting InternQueen.

 

How important is it to have social media nowadays in order to get the ideal internship?

I think it’s really important. In fact, we posted a blog on InternQueen.com two weeks ago and it was called “14 Reasons Why You Didn’t Get The Job.” A lot of them were because you didn’t have complete social media. They want to see that somebody has at least endorsed you on LinkedIn. They want to see that you at least have a Twitter account. They might look into your Facebook. You need to make sure that you’re setting it to private and that you have an appropriate profile picture. They might even look into the Instagram that you’re utilizing. It’s important for the employers to know that you’re in the loop.

 

Do you think employers look into social media profiles because they are interested in learning about the interns’ personal lives in addition to their professional skills?

I don’t know if employers are looking too far into your personal life. I think they’re just looking that you have a presence on these tools and that you’re utilizing these social media sites daily. I don’t think they’re going to spend more than 10 seconds on each of your profiles, but they do want to see that you utilize them.

 

How should a student pick the right internship and get the most out of this experience?

I think that one question that every student asks during the interview is: Can you describe a day in the life of an intern at your company? If you’re a student that is choosing between a few internships, this question will really help you understand what it is like to intern at the company. Also, if you know anyone who had interned at the company, that person can be a great resource. It’s not about the paycheck. It’s all about the internship experience. A lot of students would ask which one to choose, the internship that pays me $10 an hour or the internship that pays me nothing. Choose the internship that gives you the most beneficial work experience.

 

How important is internship experience in career advancement? Are they always helpful?

I think they are mandatory. Internships are so beneficial, and I think students with internships are being proactive about their job search and their future career. I think students with internships take initiative, go after what they want and that’s the quality that’s going to give them a job. In short, I think internships are imperative in job search.

 

What is one piece of advice that you would give for all the college students pursing internships?

My one piece of advice is that don’t stop until you learn something. Don’t get discouraged by rejection. Young people and people in general are really scared of rejections. I understand it because I get scared of rejections at times, too. But, it’s the road of getting rejected that I got me where I wanted to be. Looking back, if I wasn’t rejected from these internships, I could never place myself into these magical and amazing intern experiences. So, I really believe rejection is part of the process, but don’t let it scare you away. If you are determined to get an internship this summer, don’t let anything hold you back.

 

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