We advise all of our clients to develop an academic area of expertise throughout high school. This should be highly specific. For example, politics is too broad, but American policy or local government is a good start. If you’re interested in business, you should make sure your classes and your extracurriculars align. Get specific. Finance, entrepreneurship, and tech are all good possibilities. Next, your goal should be to land an internship where you can actually be involved and work. It doesn’t help much (for your resume or your development) if you’re at a major investment bank but you’re just getting coffee all summer.
LOCAL BUSINESS
Local businesses present an amazing opportunity for young, eager students to get great internships. This could be anything from a struggling mom-and-pop shop to a thriving business you’ve frequented your whole life. Approach the business with a few ideas. Learn about their business model and see how you can help. Your goal should be to work on a tangible project throughout your internship with measures you can talk about on your resume or in an interview. You’ll want to start out with a cover letter. First, start off by talking about why you’re interested in business. This could be in the form of a (short) story. You might talk about how you first got interested—maybe you ran a lemonade stand in second grade or did a project on macroeconomics in middle school. Next, talk about why you’re qualified: include any projects you’ve worked on, classes you’ve taken or clubs you’ve participated in that are relevant. Finally, do your research into the businesses to which you’re applying. (There might be a lot of them!) Talk about what interests you about the business and what you hope to learn. Next, reach out and ask if you can send a resume and cover letter.
RESEARCH
Research is usually a lesser thought when it comes to business, but don’t underestimate the power of it. Look up professors in your state or your area who are conducting research on business. Do a deep dive. Find out what exactly they’re researching and see if any of them need a research assistant. Follow the guidance above regarding cover letters. Once you land a great internship, your goal should be to get published by the end of the internship.
TEAM UP WITH AN ENTREPRENEUR
Another great opportunity is to connect with a local entrepreneur who’s launching their own business and ask if they need an intern. This is a great way to really learn and be at the ground-level of something. If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, this is a really great option. Write a cover letter. The idea should be to learn as much as possible about what it takes to launch a startup and also, to end up running a part of the launch.
BE AN ENTREPRENEUR
It’s never too soon to get started. If you have an idea, cultivate it. Talk to local entrepreneurs and get advice on how they did it. This can be as simple as starting a car-washing service in your neighborhood or inventing a device you’ve been dreaming about and getting a patent. Now is a fantastic time to try out your ideas and see what happens. Worst case scenario, you fail and you talk about everything you learned in your admissions essay.
If you’re interested in business, it’s important to hone in on a specific niche area and position your extracurriculars (including your internship) around that sub-area. Aim to have an internship where you’re producing results and building relationships with professionals who might ultimately write letters of recommendation for you.
Need help finding a great internship? Call us. We’re experts at helping students take on impressive opportunities.