Applying to colleges can be a big task. These days, with Ivy League schools (and even non-Ivies!) boasting single-digit acceptance rates, it can feel challenging to get ahead of the competition. Internships are a great opportunity to build something meaningful on your resume. But we recommend against going for a major company everyone’s heard of.
If you happen to land a Wall Street internship as a high schooler, the odds are you’re going to be making copies all summer. We not only want your internship to be interesting and worth your time, but we want you to be able to talk about something you accomplished and many things that you learned on your resume, in essays, and during interviews. We advise our clients to hone in on an academic niche throughout their four years of high school. “Business” is a bit too broad. Finance is a great sub-specialty. Your internships and classes should reflect your academic niche so when it comes time to apply to a particular Finance program, they’ll see that your admission is a natural extension of a path you’ve already charted out for yourself. Universities aren’t looking to recruit generalists. They want to build a class of experts in very specific fields. (The secret is, once you get in, if you’re sick of your specialty you’re not tied to that major).
SMALL BUSINESS
Small, local businesses make for great internships. Identify several in your area. Do some research on each business, and if you can, figure out its business model. Reach out to the head of operations or finance. Write a cover letter. First, begin with a short story (3 sentences or so) about why you’re interested in Finance. This shouldn’t be a grand, existential story. It can be simple. Perhaps you ran a lemonade stand in second grade and really enjoyed learning to account for the business and buy materials. Then, talk about the business and why you’re interested in working there. This is where the research should come in handy. Be specific. Finally, make it clear that you’d love the opportunity to intern, working specifically on the Finance end of things. Once you land the internship, the idea should be for you to tackle a specific project or have ownership over a subarea in which you’re competent.
FINTECH COMPANY
You can also identify fintech companies. Again, don’t go for the biggest, most-renowned companies in Silicon Valley. Find a small company in your area or a smaller company in another part of the country that’s open to remote interns. Dive in and learn as much as you can. Just pick up the phone, call, and ask for an email address to send a resume and cover letter for an internship. Follow the same guidance as above. Be really specific when you talk about the company and why you’re interested in working there. You should also talk about your own relevant experience but don’t just regurgitate what’s on your resume. Talk about any classes that are relevant and discuss leadership roles you’ve had in related clubs or what you’ve done for school projects related to business or fintech.
STARTUP
Startups are another opportunity to really make an impact. There’s a ton of work to be done, and often, too few people to tackle everything. Identify a few startups you might be interested in and find out who runs the finance end of things. Follow the same guidance as above. Find out who to send your resume and cover letter to and as always, show that you’ve done your research!
RESEARCH
Speaking of research…that’s another great area to explore. Do a deep dive into professors in your area or your state who teach Finance. Look into their past research. Really do a thorough dive here so they know you’re serious. Then, reach out and see if anyone is looking for a research assistant. When you reach out, include your cover letter and resume. Once you land an internship, the goal should be to get published along with the professor.
The key to getting ahead of the competition is really building something with your internship. You don’t want to spend a summer or a semester running menial errands for CEOs. Demonstrate that you accomplished something, even something that might seem small, in your internship.
Need help building a resume? Call us. We’re experts at helping students get ahead of the competition.