We work with our clients to get ahead of the competition by building impressive resumes. Part of this requires cultivating a highly specific brand centered around a niche academic area. Entrepreneurship is a great specialty to pursue throughout high school. We recommend aligning your classes and extracurriculars around the area and then applying directly to programs and majors that are a natural extension of your specialty. One way to strengthen your resume is to land an impressive internship.
When most people read that, they might think we mean getting an internship with a major company in New York or an entrepreneur everyone’s heard of. But we actually recommend against that approach. You should aim small and get in with an organization, business, or group that needs your help. You’re far more likely to learn and also, to actually accomplish something meaningful and tangible in your internship that you can put on your resume. If you intern for Elon Musk, you’ll likely just be getting him coffee all summer. Not much to talk about in an admissions interview.
SMALL BUSINESS
Identify some local small businesses that are still run by the person who founded them. Do your research on the business. See if you can figure out the business model. Reach out and write a cover letter that demonstrates all of this research. First, talk about your background in studying and your interest in learning more about entrepreneurship. Include a short (3-sentence or so) story about how you became interested in the field. This doesn’t need to be grandiose. It can be as simple as saying you started selling baseball cards in fifth grade and decided you needed to one day run a business. Then, talk about the company and why you’re interested in working there. Provide as much detail as you can. Maybe the company is a pillar of the community. Perhaps you have always loved the product they sell. Be clear about what you’d like to learn as well. Find the right person to submit the letter and include your resume. Once you land the internship, your goal should be to finish out the internship having accomplished some tangible outcomes and having helped the business succeed. Above all, learn as much as you can from that entrepreneur.
STARTUPS
Startups are always in need of good, hungry talent. They’re typically run by overworked people who are strapped for big budgets. Ideally, this is a startup in your area where you can go in and learn in person. Alternatively, reach out to small startups in major markets and see if they might need a remote intern. Write the best cover letter they’ve ever received. First, talk about why you’re interested in working at a startup. Then, talk about your experience. Add details that are not on your resume. Avoid making this redundant. You can talk about the classes you’ve taken that are relevant. Then, do a deep dive into the company you’re writing about and talk about why you’re interested in interning there. Be as specific as you can.
RESEARCH
Research is a great opportunity for an internship. Do a bit of research yourself on professors at local universities or schools in your state who focus on entrepreneurship. You really need to do a deep dive here into their past research and their areas of interest. Reach out and write a cover letter saying you’re very interested in what they’re doing (be specific) and see if they’re in need of a research assistant for a particular project. Follow the guidance for cover letters above. Talk about your academic experience that’s relevant and also, why you’re so interested in pursuing entrepreneurship. Then, talk about why you’d love to work with them. You might just get published!
If you’re in need of an impressive internship, look no further than your own community. Local businesses are often looking for great talent and if they’re eager, smart, and cheap, it’s a no-brainer partnership. In addition to an internship, for those intent upon pursuing entrepreneurship as a specialty, we also recommend trying to start a business of your own!
Need help landing a great internship? Call us. We’re experts at helping students develop impressive extracurriculars.