Read This If You're Applying for a Summer Internship

With summer internships right around the corner, it's important to nail down tips, tricks and best practices when applying for an internship opportunity. Based on my own experience and conversations I've had with our top PlayStation recruiters, I've compiled what we believe to be the most important tips to ensure a successful intern career strategy!

At PlayStation, Our Internships Are Our Entry-Level Positions.

So you want to work for PlayStation after you graduate? Then apply to our intern program! As recruiters, do you know what we love the most? Extending full-time offers to hard-working and high-achieving interns!

Start Early (I'm talking September/October). This ensures your resume is not only at the front of the line, but also means you won't have to rush through the application process while also juggling final papers and exams, which could lead you to potentially miss an important deadline.

Become a Networking King/Queen! Leverage your network! I bet your Professor, Advisor/Counselor, and Career Services Center have valuable networking and career info, but you have to be proactive in finding it. It doesn't hurt to ask so don't be shy!

Use Your Resources to Create a Targeted and Appealing Resume. Connect with the experts in your Career Services department so they can help you create a well-formatted, visually appealing resume that clearly outlines your education, work/intern experience, and relevant skills. A resume that pinpoints what the recruiter and hiring manager are looking for makes all the difference! This means you may have a few different versions of your resume based on the positions you're applying for.

Target Your Career Search. As recruiters, we can see when a candidate applies to multiple positions, and while it's quite obvious the individual is enthusiastic and motivated about working for the company, it shows a lack of planning and organization. In other words, it looks messy.

I've seen people apply to every single one of our positions. This is a big no-no. However, if you're a computer engineer applying to 5 engineering roles, that totally makes sense- you've targeted a specific position based on your education and professional background. On the flip side, if one were to apply to an Engineer, Marketing, Developer, UX, Game Design AND Program Manager roles, it looks unorganized and sloppy.

tldr; make sure the positions you are applying to are relevant to your field and expertise. Applying to all open positions doesn't reflect well on you as a candidate.

Double and Triple Check Your Resume! Spelling and grammar mistakes can lead to a rejection based on that alone. It breaks my heart when this happens so please please please 1) use spell-check, 2) S-L-O-W-L-Y re-read your resume, 3) ask someone else to proof-read as an extra set of eyes.

Save Your Final Draft as a PDF. This will ensure the format you spent all that time perfecting isn't botched en route to the recruiter.

Your Experience Comes in Several Forms. We're interested in all aspects of how your professional, personal and educational experience relates to the role. Be sure to include: work experience/previous internships, class projects, awards/recognition, and volunteer work.

Follow Directions and Pay Attention to Detail. Not following directions is a big red-flag in any company and can also result in an immediate disqualification.

Have a Professional Voicemail and Email Address. Now that you've applied to a few positions, you're hoping to hear back! Make sure the voicemail on your phone, and email address on your resume is professional and appropriate. Most students use their university email address, which is your best bet. If you receive a call from an unknown number, please answer in a professional manner because it may be a recruiter calling to chat further about the role you applied to!

Clean Up Your Social Media Account(s). Make sure your privacy settings are defaulted to the highest available. Don't let something silly like that "unprofessional" photo you were tagged in last Saturday stop you from getting a job.

There's No Such Thing as being Over-Prepared When it Comes to an Interview. Practice makes perfect, so grab a friend, teacher, advisor or someone at the career center to help you prepare for your upcoming phone or on-site interview.

Bringing It All Together

Your resume and application is your chance to make a positive first-impression. And you don't get a second chance to make a good first impression! Balancing school, work, extra-curricular activities, and applying to internships can and will get stressful. Proper planning, staying organized, and ensuring you get the ball rolling early will give you the opportunity to put your best foot forward.

Comment below with your questions and personal experience regarding internship applications!

Good luck!