Potential recruiters understand that students applying for internship programs do not have professional level qualifications yet. However, this does not mean that they do not think highly of student applicants. In fact, most of them have the following expectations from their potential interns:
A professionally-written resume
Potential employers expect their internship applicants to be able to craft a well-written resume. A good resume consists of one to two pages with no less than 0.5 margins on all sides. It is also written in professionally-looking fonts such as Times New Roman and Bookman. The general content should be written in 10-12 point font while headers should be in 10-14 point. It should present a summary of information about the intern’s education in reverse chronological order. It should be free from grammatical and typographical errors.
A convincing cover letter
Potential employers expect their internship applicants to have a convincing cover letter. Unlike the resume which needs to be professional, the cover letter adds a personal touch to the internship applications. A good cover letter highlights the appropriate experiences and skills. Through this letter, the applicant can explain how the organization can benefit from having him or her as an intern. The key parts of the cover letter are explaining the purpose of the letter, highlighting the relevant qualifications, and reaffirming the interest to be interviewed.
Willingness to learn
Even if the employers understand that the internship applicants do not have strong professional qualifications yet, willingness to learn is imperative. In the cover letter, the applicant should be able to express strong willingness to learn. After all, the purpose of the internship is to watch and learn from tenured mentors.
Willingness to work hard
The employers also expect their internship applicants to have willingness to work hard. What they lack in actual knowledge and skills, they compensate with hard work and practice. Â Internship applicants should come into the application processes prepared for the difficult tasks entrusted to them by the employers.
Soft skills
Lastly, the employers expect their internship applicants to have critical soft skills such as creativity, interpersonal communication, problem-solving, leadership and multi-tasking. If they possess these soft skills, they can easily learn and make the most out of the internship programs.
If an internship applicant can satisfy these expectations, he or she has high chances of being hired as one.