How to Get a Virtual Internship

This is not a great time to be looking for career experience. Industries are suffering, opportunities are scarce and most people are working from home. But if you’re in need of an internship, there are still plenty of options to work virtually – if you know how to sniff them out.
Here’s what you need to know in order to find a virtual internship: where to look, who to talk to, and how to make sure your application stands out from the competition.

Tips for Getting a Virtual Internship

Before you start applying for internships, you need to have the appropriate documents. Here are the most important.

Draft a Resume

Students who don’t already have a resume can find free resume templates through Google Docs and Microsoft Word. These templates have clean designs and are easy to edit.

If you want something more unique, you can buy a template on Etsy. Choose a template that you can easily edit in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. If you’re applying for internships in a creative field like graphic design or advertising, pick a template that has more flair and shows your personality.

When writing your resume, focus on the skills you’ve learned and your accomplishments. If you were a waitress at Waffle House (like I was for a summer), mention how it taught you multitasking and organizational skills.

Create a LinkedIn profile and start connecting with people you know. Ask past employers for recommendations and to endorse you for specific skills like Photoshop or Excel.

Work on a Cover Letter

Some internships will require a cover letter. A cover letter should express the value you’ll bring to the company, like how your interests and skills fit with the organization and why you would be a good addition.

If you’re submitting a cover letter for an online application, make sure to use any keywords mentioned in the job description. Some companies use software that filters out cover letters missing these keywords.

Have a parent or adult mentor look over both your resume and cover letter. They can offer you advice on how to phrase specific ideas and remind you of jobs, awards, and other accomplishments you’ve forgotten about.

Where to Find a Virtual Internship

Once you’ve created a resume and basic cover letter, you can start applying. Here are the best places to find a virtual internship.

Talk to Your College

The first place to look is your college career center. Many large companies have direct relationships with universities and accept a certain number of interns from there every year.

Contact the university career center and ask them about internship opportunities. If you already have a declared major, your department may also have its own career counselor who can help. They may have more personal relationships with hiring managers and internship recruiters.

Sometimes colleges have their own internship and job boards, but it still helps to talk to a counselor directly. They may have more resources and can answer your specific questions.

Even though the pandemic has changed how colleges operate, some are still holding virtual career fairs. You’ll likely have to register in advance and choose a specific time slot, so look into these options as soon as possible.

Make sure to follow up regularly if you don’t hear back from the career counselor. They may be busy, and your emails can get lost in the shuffle. Don’t feel bad about reaching out multiple times- this is part of what you pay for as a student and you’re entitled to their help.

Contact People You Already Know

If you’ve had internships before, contact people from those companies and ask if they need help. It’s much easier to get an internship when you already know the people in charge – especially if you made a good impression during your tenure.

It doesn’t matter if the people you worked with have different jobs now. They may still work in a similar industry and need an intern. Make a list of where you’ve worked and all the people you remember. If you’re having trouble remembering names, go to the company’s LinkedIn page to jog your memory and find their contact information.

After you’ve contacted them, reach out to any professors you know who still have direct ties to the industry. They can forward your information or send you links to opportunities they’ve seen.

Don’t be afraid to contact people at companies where you turned down an internship position. Most people don’t take that personally and may still have positive memories of you – plus, getting a previous internship offer from a company indicates that you’re probably a good fit.

If you’re reaching out to professors you haven’t talked to in a while, remind them what class of theirs you took and include a copy of your resume. This will make it easier for them to forward the email to any prospects.

Take your time when crafting emails to industry contacts. If you write an email with typos and grammar mistakes, your email may be deleted immediately. This is especially true if you’re contacting someone you don’t know. They may receive dozens of emails from students like you and not have time to respond to them all.

Look at Job Sites

If you’ve reached out to your networking contacts with no luck, it’s time to look for a virtual internship on a job site. Job sites should be the last place you look for a virtual internship because it’s harder to stand out among a sea of candidates.

Here are some of the best sites and apps to use:

  • LinkedIn
  • Symplicity App
  • Handshake
  • Indeed
  • Intern from Home
  • Parker Dewey
  • WayUp
  • Internships.com

 

Remember not to discount an internship if there’s no mention that the job will be remote. Some listings may be outdated and not reflect the current situation.

When you apply, check the company’s website and LinkedIn profile to see if you have any personal connections. Having someone in common can help get your application into the right hands.

 

The post How to Get a Virtual Internship appeared first on MintLife Blog.

Source: mint.intuit.com

Why You Need ExtraCredit in Your Life

What do you need your credit score for? In a nutshell, a lot. Credit cards, loans, mortgages, APR, even renting an apartment—whether or not you qualify is based largely on your credit score. If your credit is less-than-ideal, you know it can make your life just that much harder.   

Having a bad credit score can hold you back. It can keep you from feeling in control of your life. You might feel like you’re in a vicious cycle: you apply for credit to improve your score, get denied, suffer a hard inquiry, watch your credit score drop and try again. And it starts over.

We get it. And we want to help. Enter ExtraCredit, the newest product from Credit.com. ExtraCredit is a comprehensive credit solution, with specific and encompassing features that helps you with every dimension of your credit. 

But ExtraCredit isn’t your typical credit solution. Think of it as a lifestyle change. Think of it as a way for you to take your life back. 

Check Out ExtraCredit

What’s ExtraCredit?

ExtraCredit is your one-stop-shop for all things credit. Need identity protection? ExtraCredit’s got it covered. Want a look at your FICO® Score? Sure! An exclusive discount with one of the leaders in credit repair? Yep, we’ve got that too. Ready to add more to your credit? We’ve got your back. ExtraCredit is here for you, no matter what your credit score is. ExtraCredit helps you own your life—starting with your credit. 

ExtraCredit has five features, each created to help you get where you want to be. Here’s the lowdown on each: 

Reward It

So you decided to sign up for ExtraCredit. Smart choice! Because you’ve made such a smart choice, we’ll send you an ExtraCredit card loaded with $5. That’s real money. And that’s what Reward It is all about.

It doesn’t end there. When you sign up with ExtraCredit, we start sending relevant financial offers your way. Let’s say you get approved for one of those financial offers. That’s a big deal! And we want to celebrate with you. Which is why we’ll load your ExtraCredit card with up to $200. That’s right—up to two hundred dollars. All for you, because of your smart financial decisions. 

Learn More about Reward It

Track It

There are a lot of credit scores out there. And there are a lot of apps and services that claim to have the score. You know, the one and only completely accurate score you need. But the thing is, that doesn’t exist. So the score you might be seeing on one of those other apps isn’t the same as the FICO® Score that lenders see. In fact, you have at least 28 credit scores. That’s a lot to keep track of.

That’s where Track It comes in. ExtraCredit will keep track of your 28 FICO credit scores, so you can keep track of every single one. But it goes one step further by showing you what each score is used for. Plus, you’ll get access to your credit reports from all three major credit bureaus—Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

Learn More about Track It

Guard It

Here are some statistics for you: in 2019, 14.4 million consumers were victims of identity fraud. Sure, that might not sound like a lot of people. But when you realize that it comes out to about 1 in 15 people, it feels like a much bigger threat. In total, 33% of adult Americans have been victims of identity theft. 

You might think that you’ve got all the protection you need. And maybe you have set up a few precautions here and there. But criminals nowadays are smart. Just look at those stats! They know what they’re doing. But don’t sweat it—so do we. Guard It’s here to save the day.

Guard It provides services to keep you nice and safe. There’s Dark Web Monitoring, which will continually scan hidden websites and file-sharing networks for data breaches. Then there’s Compromised Account Monitoring that’ll catch unauthorized bank changes and accounts opened with a stolen identity. And last, but not least, there’s Identity Theft Insurance. That’ll help protect you from financial danger with a $1,000,000 policy. Better safe than sorry. 

Learn More about Guard It

Build It

We all know that credit card payments play a major role in your credit score. But that’s just half the story. What about all the other bills that you pay, like rent and utilities? Shouldn’t those count? We definitely think so, which is where Build It comes in.

Build It uses Rent & Utility reporting to match transactions from your bank account. Think about that for a second—Build It will help you add more to your credit profile whenever you pay your rent on-time. How easy is that? 

From there, Build It continues to report your payments to all three major credit bureaus each month. 

Learn More about Build It

Restore It

So your credit’s not where you want it to be. And you need help. The good news is, you’re in the right place. Restore It will connect you with one of the leaders in credit repair. You’ll get an exclusive discount for CreditRepair.com, a credit repair service that has a killer track record. If they are not available in your area, you will get that discount with another leader in credit repair.

Learn More about Restore It

The Breakdown

Okay, we know that there are a lot of credit solutions out there. You’ve probably seen other services, like credit repair, ID protection and credit monitoring. But here’s the thing—no one offers a comprehensive service like ExtraCredit. 

With ExtraCredit, you get five killer features all wrapped up in a box with a bow on top. Here’s a breakdown of how much the ExtraCredit services would typically cost on their own:

  • Basic Credit Repair: $24.95+ 
  • Rent Reporting: $9.99 
  • ID Protection: $34.99
  • FICO Scores: $19.99

Altogether, that’d add up to a cool $89.92. But with ExtraCredit you get all five services at $24.99 a month, plus real cash back for select offers. 

The Bottom Line

Sure, there are a lot of credit solutions out there. But here’s the thing—ExtraCredit impacts every dimension of your credit. So you could go with one-dimensional services provided by the other guys. Or you could go with ExtraCredit, which offers so much more than the basics.

ExtraCredit is here for you. It’s like a team of credit pros, all focused on monitoring your credit and satisfying your credit score needs. All you have to do is sit back, relax and let ExtraCredit do the work. 

ExtraCredit is the last credit solution you’ll ever need. Join the revolution today.

The post Why You Need ExtraCredit in Your Life appeared first on Credit.com.

Source: credit.com