Internships

𝗔𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻'𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝘆. Let that sink in for a moment. Yes, even if you’re a "bootstrapped startup." Yes, even if you're "building your dream from your garage." "But... we're a startup with a tight budget..." Right. And yet... - Your office espresso machine? - Your SaaS tools? - Your Friday pizza parties? - All get budgeted. But when it comes to the students, the fresh graduates, the aspiring professionals who show up eager to learn, contribute, and grow — suddenly... 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭? Let's pause here. ❌ Experience is not currency. ❌ Exposure is not rent. ❌ A LinkedIn recommendation is not groceries. For many students — especially those from marginalized backgrounds — unpaid internships are not just "𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲." --- They are walls. --- They are gates. --- They are closed doors to careers they can’t afford to open. While some can lean on family support, others have to make tough choices between working part-time jobs and missing out on internships that could shape their futures. And guess what? - Those students, with all their potential, often get left behind. - Not because they lack talent. - But because they can't afford to work for free. So let's be brutally honest: If your company needs hands on deck, those hands deserve a paycheck. Not pizza. Not a shiny certificate. Not promises of "it'll look great on your CV." >>> 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝘆. And let’s remember this isn’t just an ethical choice. ... It’s a legal one. 𝐔𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 — especially when interns do actual work that benefits the company — are often illegal. Worse yet? They hurt efforts to make workplaces more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. 💬 So the next time you’re tempted to post an "𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲"... Ask yourself: Are you building a company culture of exploitation or one of fairness and inclusion? It’s time for this to change. For students. For companies. For the future of work.

“How can I get work experience without work experience?” This is a catch-22 that some students and recent graduates often encounter as they navigate their early career journeys. ⭐ Here are a few ways I got around it and some things I recommend: 1️⃣ Take free certifications, courses, fellowships, and boot camps There are so many online certifications and courses for technical and nontechnical industries—a few are free, too! When I lacked experience, I took a few of these to sharpen my skills, and I included them on my resume and LinkedIn. Some platforms I recommend include Acadium (marketing courses), LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, Skillshare, Grow with Google, Verizon Skill Forward (technical courses), and of course, YouTube University. Bonus: Free fellowships and boot camp programs are great too! A few I recommend are COOP, Colorwave, CodePath, Kode With Klossy, Springboard and CareerFoundry - ProFellow is a great website for finding fellowships. 2️⃣ Apply for professional development programs These programs are usually for those who don’t have much work experience and partner with Fortune 500 companies for program support and to hire program alumni. In addition to internships, they provide mentorship, career development workshops, and a robust alumni network. Some programs I recommend include MLT Career Prep, INROADS, The LAGRANT Foundation, and SHPEP (pre med/health). 🎯 You can find a list of programs here: https://lnkd.in/gzrai8Bn 3️⃣ Complete micro-internships or externships These programs are usually less than 4 weeks, project based, sometimes paid, and a great way to beef up your resume by doing projects with cool brands. You can find opportunities like these on platforms such as Parker Dewey, Extern, and Forage 4️⃣ Do freelance work When I started my marketing career, I created my own agency where I worked with small-owned businesses. This helped me stand out in my interviews and further grow my portfolio. Create the work experiences you need to get the job you want. 5️⃣ Hyped up my extracurriculars and passion projects In college, I was heavily involved in my sorority and did a lot of work in recruitment and managing our digital branding. Throughout my resume, I emphasized my wins using Google’s XYZ format to highlight my leadership efforts and show that I was a well-rounded candidate. I also ran a college & lifestyle blog which helped me grow in my marketing, graphic design, and communications skill set. By having it listed in my resume as work experience, it was always a hot topic in my interviews Don’t be afraid to share on your resume who you are outside of work because the lessons you learn in those experiences can translate into transferable skills for the workplace. 💌 and while you're at it, check out my YouTube video to help you find some of these opportunities: https://lnkd.in/gm3PB-ae #earlycareer #internships #jobhunting #entryleveljobs

“They rejected me because I had no experience.” But how do you get experience without someone first giving you a chance? 🤔 This is the loop every student & fresher struggles with. I’ve been there too. And after 8+ years in tech + mentoring 1000s of students, here are some unique strategies that actually work to crack your first internship or job : ✨ 1. Build “Proof of Work” Don’t just say you know coding/finance/design, show it. Small projects, GitHub repos, case studies, or even writing your learnings on LinkedIn builds trust. Detailed explanation : https://lnkd.in/gqhmkfFb ✨ 2. Create a “Skill Portfolio” Instead of listing random certificates, make a 1-page portfolio with projects, visuals & outcomes. Recruiters notice impact, not paper. ✨ 3. Network the Smart Way Instead of cold “please refer me” DMs, write posts, share insights, and engage with industry people. When they see you show up, opportunities come naturally. ✨ 4. Use Reverse Applications Don’t just wait for job portals. Make a short pitch mail + attach portfolio → directly to startups, NGOs, or small firms. Hidden market > job boards. ✨ 5. Document Your Journey Online If you’re learning Python, post your Day 1 → Day 30 journey. This not only keeps you consistent but also attracts mentors + recruiters. ✨ 6. Hackathons & Open Source Even without prior job experience, hackathons and open-source projects prove your teamwork, problem-solving, and coding skills. That’s “real-world experience” most resumes miss. ✨ 7. Learn Skills Recruiters Value Today 2025 is skill-first, not degree-first. Breaking into your first role isn’t about luck - t’s about strategy + visibility + proof. Don’t wait for HR to give you permission to start. Start building your career assets today. I’ve guided thousands of students into their first role, and I’ll keep sharing what works. Follow for more. 👉 Tell me, what’s the BIGGEST challenge you’re facing in landing your first role? #career #guidance #freshers

I was rejected not one, not two, but DOZENS of times when applying for internships going into my junior year of college. To be honest, I had given up. I was discouraged, heartbroken, and in extreme distress😭 I vowed that I would NEVER receive rejections like that again. Sure enough that next Summer not only did I receive multiple internship offers, but I had my dream internship offer. Here’s what I did differently: 1️⃣Turned on job notifications on LinkedIn When I tell you all this made finding internships 5x easier! Because I was looking for internships in DEI at the time, I went to the LinkedIn jobs tab searched “DEI Intern” filtered the experience level specifically by “internships” and “entry level” roles then toggled on the “get job alerts for this search” button at the bottom of the page. After that, every time a new role was added to LinkedIn that matched my search, I was notified! 2️⃣Created a company fast facts sheet This was SO helpful! I wrote down everything that I needed to know about the company from their core values and mission to their current initiatives and projects. I also did a deep dive into the LinkedIn profiles of my interviewers and compiled key points of their roles and responsibilities. I studied this sheet daily so I would be able to leverage some of the information during my interview P.S- It helps if you make the sheet fun and decorative 3️⃣ Tailored my resume and my cover letter to each role As soon as I learned how applicant tracking systems (ATS) work, I did whatever I could to try and beat the system. I found that the cheat code was aligning my resume and cover letter to match key words in the job description. When I tell y’all that this hack changed my life! Tailor those resumes y’all! 4️⃣Came prepared with solutions The goal is always to be one step ahead of your interviewer. When prepping for your interview, keep track of industry trends to find ways that you think the company could improve against their competitors. Then take it a step further and show how you could use your skills to help make that improvement. When asked if you have any questions at the end of the interview try saying something like this: “When doing my research I noticed that Company X doesn’t have [fill in the blank with a process, system, program, etc]. I have skill X, Y, Z relevant to implementing this. Is this something that is in the works or an idea that your team would potentially be interested in?” 5️⃣Tracked my applications This was a game changer! I created an excel sheet that I used to keep track of when I applied to internships so I could monitor the timeline of the process as I proceeded (or didn’t lol) to the next rounds. ——————————————————————- What are some things you’ve done in your internship search that have made a difference? #tipswithtaylor #internships #dreaminternship #internships2024 #collegestudents #intern #techinternship

Internships are your fastest path to a great job! During my bachelor’s degree, I did 5 internships in 5 different domains—each one building on the last. That diverse experience helped me land my first product management internship in the U.S., which then led to another offer as a PM. Eventually, all these experiences combined made me a strong candidate for my current job! In today’s ultra-competitive job market, internships aren’t just optional—they’re essential. They help you stand out and increase your chances of landing interviews. I started with an unpaid internship because I lacked experience, but I used that as a stepping stone. One opportunity led to another, and soon, I was working with some of the best companies out there. 👩🏻💻If you’re a student: ✅ Find internships early – Many top companies start hiring interns months in advance. Set up alerts on job boards like LinkedIn, Handshake, and Glassdoor. Maybe say yes to an unpaid internship? ✅ Network your way in – 80% of jobs aren’t posted online. Reach out to alumni, attend career fairs, and connect with industry professionals on LinkedIn. ✅ Leverage side projects – If you don’t have experience, create it! Work on personal projects, contribute to open-source, or freelance to build a portfolio. ✅ Be open to startups & smaller companies – Big brands are competitive, but startups offer hands-on experience and faster growth opportunities. ✅ Keep learning – Certifications, online courses, and workshops can help you gain new skills that make you a stronger candidate. By the time you graduate, you’ll already have a competitive edge in your job search! 🚀 #career #tips #students #linkedin #internship

This intern worked day and night for a month as team lead, only to be denied a ₹5,000 stipend. This story stopped me in my tracks, and I feel every founder and HR leader needs to read it. An intern was hired to lead a team because of her prior experience. - She fixed code conflicts. - Worked late nights. - Managed a team. 2 weeks after the internship, she's still chasing her promised stipend of ₹5,000. The founder's response was: Please mind your words. Send proof of work. Have patience. We have other workload. Let that sink in. You can call someone a "team-lead" when things are going well. But the moment it's time to pay, suddenly they're "just an intern". Here's what this founder forgot: → ₹5,000 might be a rounding error in your burn rate. But for a young adult living away from home, it's rent. It's groceries. It's dignity. → An internship is often someone's first real experience of work. They're learning how it all works. → If you cannot afford to pay an intern, don't hire one. Post an unpaid role clearly, at least so people can choose. But don't promise ₹5,000 and then disappear. Startups talk about hustle, ownership, and culture. Culture is not built in pitch decks. It's built on the day you hold your end of the bargain. It’s time we stop seeing interns as cheap labor. Interns are basically new professionals. How you treat them becomes what they expect in life. When running a business on a tight budget, the least people can do is communicate clearly. How would you respond if this intern were you? #intern #trust #response #culture

If you are currently on an internship or about to wrap one up, this is for you. Internships and co-ops shape more than your résumé; they shape how you think, work, and build relationships that last a lifetime.  Here are a few lessons that shaped my journey and could help you, too: 🔹 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Every organization values those who create impact. Don’t just complete tasks. Look for problems to solve, no matter how small. During one of my past co-op roles, I worked on a project where our brainstormed ideas helped save billions in future projected costs. That came from paying attention, contributing, and working with a multidisciplinary team with 10,000+ years of combined experience across local and global projects. 🔹 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 Study the values, culture, and policies of your workplace. The more you understand what drives the organization, the easier it becomes to align your contribution with real impact. 🔹 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 & 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 Some of the most important doors in my career were opened by relationships I built during internships. Your next mentor, advisor, or sponsor may not come through a qualification, but through a genuine connection. Up till today, I still get calls from my past supervisors I once worked with, to consult on problems I helped solve as an intern. 🔹 𝐁𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐝 & 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐮𝐭 Confidence is noticed. Share your ideas, volunteer for challenges, and leave a footprint of contribution. What people remember is the impact you created, not the hours you spent. 🔹 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 Before your internship ends, have deliberate conversations with your manager, supervisor, or team lead. Ask for feedback on your performance, seek mentorship opportunities, and request recommendation letters. These will serve as bridges for the next phase of your career. Here are a few sample questions you can ask: 💡 What did I do well? 💡 What could I have done differently? 💡 Would you be open to mentoring me beyond this role? 💡 Could I request a recommendation letter for future opportunities? These conversations are priceless; they provide clarity, open doors, and create connections that last far beyond the internship. At the end of the day, one truth remains: you cannot rush or substitute experience. Every day on the job is shaping the professional you are becoming. So to every intern reading this: be intentional, be courageous, and leave your footprint. 👉 Who’s the one intern in your circle that needs this reminder today? Share this with them.

College recruiting season is heating up so here are 10 tips I wish I had known when I was recruiting: 1. Build relationships early. Every year, when LinkedIn opened applications, we would get flooded with requests from students to chat. At that point, it was too late for us to chat with everyone and submit referrals. The handful of people who I had built a relationship with early got my referral and had a much better chance of being successful in the interview process. 2. Tap your network, and don't be afraid to cold email people. I sent hundreds of emails to people, mostly alums from my undergrad, and most of them were ignored. But I also got a few responses, which led to calls, relationships, and eventually meetings with employees at LinkedIn, Google, Pinterest, Facebook, and several other great companies. 3. Show up. (Get on a plane if you have to) Meet the people you need to meet, in person. I took a trip out to the Bay Area as a sophomore in college and it made all the difference in my recruiting process. Even if you are recruiting for local companies, getting in the door, however possible, is so important. 4. Look beyond the obvious companies. Everyone applies to Google. Find the next big name by watching who is getting funded, where the talent is flocking to, and where the process might not be flooded with applicants. 5. Create your own roles. I can't tell you how many times we've hired someone exceptional without an open job req. If you are world-class, you can create roles and opportunities where there is none. But you need to be specific on how you will contribute, and perhaps even give them a taste of the value you will bring. 6. Apply early. As soon as the application drops, be ready to apply. 7. Get experience, however you can. Land internships, build side projects, get involved on campus, and be busy! It's hard to get tons of experience when you are young, but if you want to compete, you need to get experience. 8. Go after specific roles. Too many college students hurt their chances in the process by not knowing what they are shooting for. It's okay to pursue multiple roles at once, but when you start engaging with a hiring manager, you need to identify what they need and have a strong talk track for why that role is the perfect fit for you. Saying "I'll do anything" is not good. They want to know what you will be world-class in. 9. Don't give up. Recruiting comes with tons of rejections. That's part of the process. It only takes one yes. 10. Don't go at the process alone. Practice with friends, mentors, coaches on Leland, and anyone else you can. We host 100+ free events on recruiting topics every month, so join those and make sure you are prepared! What other tips do you have for college students wanting to land great roles out of school? Pictured: me and Landon convincing 200 people to join our new Tech Club at BYU almost 10 years ago #recruiting #Internships #hiring

“How were you able to get internships at Jindal, HDFC Bank and CRISIL in your 2nd year?” asked my college mate back in 2019. This was when I was pursuing my BCom Hons from University of Delhi. So let me tell you some lesser known ways to get an internship in college - 💡Identify Emerging or less-known Companies → Instead of targeting big brands, look for startups, early-stage companies, or niche firms. They’re more flexible with hiring interns. → Search on AngelList, LinkedIn, and Twitter for companies that recently got funding—they need fresh talent. 💡Use Twitter & LinkedIn Strategically → Follow industry leaders, founders, and hiring managers in your field. → Engage with their content for a few weeks before reaching out. → Comment on their posts with insights to get noticed. 💡Build a Small But Powerful Portfolio → Instead of waiting for an internship to gain experience, create small projects. Marketing? Grow a meme page and show engagement stats. Finance? Analyse stocks and post insights. Coding? Contribute to open-source projects. Design? Redesign existing brand logos and showcase them. 💡Leverage Cold DMs Instead of Just Cold Emails → Most people send boring emails. Instead, try Twitter, LinkedIn, or even Instagram DMs. → Keep it short: “Hey [Name], I love what your company is building. I noticed [something specific about their work]. I’d love to contribute. Here’s a small project I did that aligns with your company’s goals. Let me know if I can help!” 💡 Reverse Apply by Posting About Your Work → Instead of chasing internships, attract them. Post content on LinkedIn/Twitter showcasing your skills. Hiring managers will notice and reach out. → Example: "I analysed 10 fast-growing D2C brands, and here’s what I found about their marketing strategies." (Marketing aspirant) "I built a stock screener that predicts undervalued companies." (Finance aspirant) If you’re struggling to land an internship, try these and tell me how it goes!🚀 #intern #interns #internships #career

Summer 2025 interns: Follow this piece of advice to make your internship life easier in the long run. I promise you'll thank me! If you haven't done so already, starting today...document your summer experience as you go. It doesn't matter how you do it. A laptop document, a phone app, a good ol' fashioned planner/notebook. What matters is writing all the information down as you’re producing it or taking it in, rather than trying to reflect an entire summer in August or September. 1. Keep track of what you do. Your duties & responsibilities, your accomplishments, etc. Pay attention to quantifiable details. For example, if you create social media content - how many posts, how much increased engagement (numbers or percentages). Logging these details now will make updating your resume and LinkedIn profile easier at summer's end. 2. Take notes during career conversations. Bring a notebook to every meeting, with questions prepared and enough room to write down answers and the additional information you learn. Being able to reference these specific topics in the followup thank you email (sent 24-48 hours after your meeting) adds a personal touch. Additionally, you’re going to learn a lot from many different people that you’ll want to easily reference in the future. 3. Write down "the nuggets." Tidbits you hear during a staff meeting, presentation, career conversation, or anywhere. A nugget is anything that makes you think, pause, ponder, reflect, engage or even just laugh. One of my colleagues writes on her iPhone Notes app any phrases she hears that resonate with her, whether shared by someone in conversation or offered in a presentation. Great example of nuggets! 3. Snap pics and videos. Visual documents are as helpful as written ones. If you’re assisting in putting together an event, take pics before, during and after the program. Is your internship taking place in a different city or country? Capture sites outside of the office, too! 4. Share your experience. LinkedIn is perfect for doing so. I love seeing students celebrating their internships throughout the summer with stories and accompanying photos. Others put together a website or portfolio that they can share with an audience. So don’t delay, start your internship tracking today.  You’re welcome! 🙂